The Quiet Reason Many Agents are Selling Their Agencies

How Stress and Burnout are Contributing to Agency Sales There are many factors why an agency owner sells their agency, including: retirement age, financial gain, and the 3-Ds (Divorce, Disability, and Death). However, the undocumented but growing reason that we are hearing about is stress and burnout. In many industries, including insurance, the pandemic gave […]

Three Keys to an Internal Perpetuation

“What if one of your account managers or producers won the lottery at lunch and didn’t come back that afternoon? How would the agency manage?” asked keynote speaker Kelly Donaue-Piro of Agency Performance Partners at IACON 2024, the annual conference for the Ohio Insurance Agents Association (OIA). Start with a series of questions. What is […]

Tax Implications and Guidelines for Independent Insurance Agencies – Part 1

As an independent insurance agency owner, understanding the tax implications of your business decisions is critical, especially when considering a sale or transfer of ownership. Taxes can significantly affect the financial outcomes for both buyers and sellers. This article will explore the tax considerations for independent insurance agencies, focusing on goodwill versus capital gains tax, […]

Navigating Private Equity in the Independent Agent System: Strategic Insights for Agency Owners

The world of independent insurance agencies is undergoing transformational change transformational change as private equity (PE) continues to reshape the industry landscape. In a recent discussion, experts Jeff Smith and Jarod Steed from IA Valuations, along with Dan Girardi from Keystone Agency Partners and James Parker from BroadStreet Partners, explored how private equity’s influence is […]

How the Election Outcome will Impact Insurance Agency Values

Now that the election is over, it is time to analyze how the results will likely impact the independent agency system, specifically insurance agency values. Since 2016, agency values have steadily risen over the past 8 years, regardless of who occupied the White House or controlled Congress. This time period largely paralleled the hard market, […]

What is Private Equity in the Independent Agency System?

In today’s insurance agent marketplace, the phrase “Private Equity” or PE is quite the buzz phrase. The mention of PE causes a wide range of reactions from agency owners. Some owners seek to sell their agencies to PE backed brokers and others are avoiding it like the plague. No matter where you fall on the […]

Navigating the Complexities of Insurance Agency Acquisitions: Insights from Industry Leaders

The landscape of agency acquisitions is as challenging as it is rewarding, requiring a delicate balance between strategic alignment, financial prudence, and cultural fit. IA Valuations’ CEO, Jeff Smith, and Director of Business Planning and Valuations, Craig Niess, led a conversation with industry experts Missy Kahl (Bickle Insurance), Vaughn Troyer (Hummel Group), and Rob Smith […]

2024 State of Independent Insurance Agency Valuations – IA Valuations Webinar Recap

IA Valuations recently held a webinar discussing 2024 Independent Agency M&A Trends and Predictions. IA Valuations’ CEO, Jeff Smith, and Director of Business Planning and Valuations, Craig Niess, hosted three panelists: Mike Wagar from Westfield Bank, Dan Girardi from Keystone Agency Partners, and Rob Smith from Fideles Advisors. These panelists were selected due to their […]

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 […]