Is There an Optimal Age to Sell Your Insurance Agency?
It is hard to say, however, based on our analysis, we believe the optimal age is 58. Whether you are planning to perpetuate internally or sell externally, it is inevitable that you are going to sell your ownership at some point. In this article we explore whether there is an optimal age to transition ownership […]
The McKinsey Report – 10 Years Later… What Actually Happened
It has been 10 years since McKinsey published The Agent of the Future: The Evolution of Property and Casualty Insurance Distribution Report. In that report, McKinsey predicted a bleak future for the local insurance agent, which translated into another doom and gloom message for independent insurance agents (IAs). As soon as the report was published, […]
Has Your Agency Value Peaked?
Is this a question you have found yourself asking? If so, we will explore what to do next. First, let’s start with the evaluation process of determining whether your agency value has peaked. For me, this question arose when I was meeting with an agency owner that was sharing that they had made the decision […]
5 Reasons to Use IA Valuations for an Insurance Agency Valuation
Getting a valuation of your insurance agency is an important decision and a tool to understanding the fair market value of what is likely your greatest financial asset. You can get a valuation from many sources. Each of those sources has a motive, experience, and credentials for providing the service. In this article, we will […]
The 6 Steps to Sell Your Insurance Agency
So, you’ve made the decision to sell your insurance agency. While reaching that decision is incredibly difficult, the next stages in the process do not get easier. Therefore, we are laying out the six steps that you should go through to plan, prepare, negotiate, and execute the transaction. 1. Independent Fair Market Valuation First, get […]
How Does Consolidation in the IA System Affect the Value of Your Agency?
It is undeniable that the independent agency system is undergoing massive consolidation. In what we have dubbed “the greatest wealth transfer in the history of the independent agency system,” we are experiencing a realignment of the IA business model. Over the past 10 years, according to Optis Partners, the IA system has experienced a 250% […]
The Missing Ingredient in Local Agency Acquisition Offers – Equity
The greatest competitive advantage for local, privately held retail agencies (local agencies) is becoming their greatest competitive disadvantage in the rapid consolidating IA system. As we have discussed in previous articles, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are at record levels without any sign of significantly slowing (average of 551 M&A transactions annually in the past 10 […]
How Local Agents Can Compete with Private Equity for Acquisition Opportunities
Almost every M&A article on the IA system written in the past 10 years typically focuses on the increasing number of transactions Private Equity (PE) is responsible for. It is undeniable that PE transactions are increasing. The latest studies estimate that PE accounted for 77% of the M&A transactions in 2022.
However, what every M&A article on the IA system fails to capture and discuss is the amount of local, privately held retail agency to retail agency transactions happen every year.
The Misperception About Agency Values and Private Equity Buyers
The Private Equity (PE) infusion into the IA system is a fairly recent phenomenon that has created a fundamental realignment of the IA business model. It has also created an unprecedented amount of myths and misperceptions about agency values and selling options.
Five Things to Consider When Selling Your Agency
The process of selling your agency can be a long and winding road. As an agency owner, your agency has become a major part of your identity and is synonymous with your name in your community (often times the agency is the owner’s name). You have spent countless hours and energy building your business, serving your clients and engaging with your company […]