When Values Drive Value
A Thoughtful Agency Transition Done Right Growing up the son of an independent insurance agent, Alan Sills of Ralph P. Sills Insurance Agency, didn’t originally plan to be part of the family business. He pursued a legal career, attending law school and practicing as an attorney for several years before his father asked him for […]
Help! Our Agency Owner Passed Away Unexpectedly. How Will it Affect the Agency’s Value?
In almost every scenario, the unexpected passing of an agency owner will have a profoundly negative impact on the value of an agency. With 39,000 independent insurance agencies in the US, sadly, unexpected deaths of agency principals are an everyday occurrence. Particularly when you factor in that 22% of agency owners are over the age […]
Independent Insurance Agencies and the Evolving M&A Landscape
The independent insurance agency (IA) system is in the midst of a significant evolution. In a recent conversation between industry leaders, experts from across the country weighed in on where the IA market is headed, what’s driving M&A activity, and how agencies can better position themselves for growth or exit. Among the featured voices were […]
The Independent Agency System Report Card – 2025 Evaluation
Do you remember when you were a kid and you’d get your report card? It created such buzz and anticipation with your classmates. The nervous energy was palpable as you prepped for opening the report card and thinking of how you were going to explain your school’s progress report to your parents. In this article, […]
Six Key Factors That Impact Insurance Agency Valuations
In the dynamic landscape of independent insurance agencies, understanding the many risk factors that influence agency valuation is crucial. These factors can significantly impact the value of an agency, whether it is being evaluated for internal perpetuation, external sale, or business planning purposes. In this article, we discuss six key factors that impact the valuation […]
The Camouflaged Contributor to Consolidation
Backdrop of Burnout It’s 7 in the morning, you crack open your email inbox to see if there are any work red-alerts before you take the kids to school. You get them to school and get to the office at 7:30 just so you hopefully have an hour of uninterrupted time to get your inbox […]
2024 State of Independent Insurance Agency Valuations
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 […]
Help! I’m Not Getting Profit-Sharing This Year. What Effect Will It Have on My Agency Value?
Unfortunately, you may be one of the many agencies not receiving profit-sharing due to the inflated loss ratios caused by the hard market. While this will have an impact on your value, the good news is the hard market is likely temporary and should not have a profound impact on the value of your agency […]
The Effect of the Hard Market on Agency Values
For many insurance agencies, the hard market yields a double-edged sword as it relates to agency values. Some of the impacts of the hard market can have a positive impact on agency value, while others will work to depress values. Understanding these impacts will be key to helping you navigate these uncertain times. The Insurance […]
The Power of Using an Agency Valuation as a Business Planning Tool
To know where you are going, you must first know where you are currently. The biggest step in business planning each year is having a clear metric for the agency’s success. We believe the most effective metric and report is to get an independent fair market valuation of your agency. The valuation report will give […]