Smart Choice®, the fastest growing insurance agency network in the nation, is celebrating its 30th year in business in 2024. Established in 1994 by Doug Witcher, the current chief executive officer (CEO), the company has grown to over 10,000 member agencies, spanning 46 states and is partnered with over 200 personal, commercial, life and specialty insurance companies.
Witcher’s early ingenuity and keen eye for a critical need shared by independent agency owners in the industry during the early 1990s gave him the idea to establish his agency network. “I had to do a lot of talking and a lot of convincing to get other agencies and companies on board,” Witcher recalls. Launched with the tagline “The Freedom to Succeed,” the company still lives by this axiom today, giving agencies the ability to access all of the tools they need to run a successful agency and navigate the intricacies of the insurance industry.
Witcher added, “When we finally launched in 1994 with a handful of agents in North Carolina, I had dreams of it becoming thousands of agents. Thirty years later, I’m just amazed to see what it has become. I’m fortunate to have worked with some of the most incredible employees and people this industry has to offer. Our agency and carrier partners benefit from their dedication every single day.”
The company has seen record, double-digit revenue growth for nearly ten years, and accounts for close to $2.1 Billion in annual written premiums, making it a powerhouse in the industry for agents and carriers alike. While dozens of similar companies have emerged over the years both nationally and regionally, Smart Choice endures as one of the bedrocks of the alliance world and a catalyst for evolutionary change in agency and industry operations.
“When Smart Choice started, the independent agent P&C market share was only around 30%. Today, independent agents account for around 62% of all P&C premiums written,” said president, Andrew Caldwell. “That’s a huge shift. Because of Doug’s vision we’ve remained focused on growing the independent agency market share because we believe it’s what’s right for both the industry, for the agents, and for their customers. Smart Choice has played a significant role in changing that dynamic. I truly believe we have maintained our integrity in the industry by keeping our agent-focused view all these years.”