Reading guide · why an independent broker · ~6 min
We work for you, not the carrier.
The slogan every broker uses. Here's what it actually means in practice — how independents differ from captive agents and direct writers, and the cases where we're frankly the wrong call.
20+ admitted carriers · zero quotasNo captive contractsCommission disclosed on request
Three ways to buy insurance.
There are three real shopping paths in commercial and personal lines. They differ in who works for whom, how the agent gets paid, and what happens at renewal. Here is the comparison without the marketing varnish.
· Dimension
· Column A · Us
Independent broker
· Column B
Captive agent
· Column C
Direct writer
Who they work for
You. We earn the same regardless of which carrier we place you with.
The carrier whose name is on their door. State Farm agents sell State Farm.
The carrier directly. There is no agent, you transact through 1-800 or an app.
How many carriers
20+ admitted markets across personal and commercial. We shop the policy.
One. Sometimes a sister-affiliate for a hard-to-place risk.
One. Itself.
Who reads the policy
A licensed broker, by hand, before bind. Marked up.
Usually nobody, the carrier's underwriter signs off, the agent confirms.
Nobody. The system binds it.
Who you call at renewal
Same broker, same desk. We re-read it for changes.
Often a new agent, captive turnover is high. Auto-renewal is the norm.
A queue. Not the same person twice.
When premiums go up
We re-shop across our markets. A meaningful share of renewals move carriers.
You stay or leave; the agent can't move you elsewhere.
Stay or leave. Same.
How they get paid
Commission inside the carrier premium (10-15%). Same whether we earn it or someone else does. Disclosed on request.
Salary + carrier commission. Often quotas + bonuses tied to specific products.
Salary. No commission per policy, but customer-acquisition cost is huge, it's in your premium.
What's hard for them
We're slower than direct writers and pricier than captives on simple risks.
Range of solutions. If their carrier doesn't write your risk, neither can they.
Anything non-standard. The system rejects edge cases.
Curious if you're with the right shop?
Send the dec page. We'll tell you whether your current arrangement is doing right by you — including the times when our honest answer is yes, stay where you are.