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.
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.
· Column A · Us
Independent broker
· Column B
Captive agent
· Column C
Direct writer
· The honest panel
When we're not the right call.
We are not the right answer for everyone. The list below is honest — every one of these came up this year, and we sent the prospect somewhere else. We'll do it again.
Single-driver, clean-record auto, minimum coverage.
GEICO will likely beat us. Save the time. We'll be here when your situation gets complicated.
Renters at minimum limits, no scheduled items.
Lemonade or your homeowner's-association group rate is fine. The policy is short enough that nobody really has to read it.
Risks we don't write.
Cannabis-related operations, multi-state trucking fleets above 25 units, professional sports. Specialist brokers exist for these.
Outside MO + KS.
We're licensed only in Missouri and Kansas. We can read your dec for a second opinion, but we can't bind your policy. Find someone in your state.
Captive-only relationships you actually like.
If your captive agent is your neighbor and they take your call on a Saturday, that relationship is worth more than our markup.
You want the absolute floor on price, no questions.
That's a direct-writer game, and it's a fine game to play if your situation is genuinely simple. We don't want to be the broker who insulted that approach for no reason.
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.