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There’s no question that COVID-19 drastically reshaped our work lives – and many of the changes are here to stay. As we emerge from this time of uncertainty and start planning for 2022 and beyond, it’s clear that workplaces cannot return to “business as usual.” Future-thinking insurance agencies are adapting the way they attract and retain talent, build cultures, and lead their teams.

Small commercial is still largely controlled by independent agencies, is reliably profitable, but highly fragmented. Even the “titans” of the industry have less than 10% market share. In short, small commercial is ripe for the taking. Sounds great, right? 

Tim had survived his first year in sales. Actually, Tim had done more than just survive. At the end of his first year, he was the number two agent at the agency. Out of 26 other agents, that was an impressive accomplishment. Yet he was troubled. There was a secret he had not shared with his manager nor his fellow agents. In fact, he had hidden it from all of them.

As I look ahead to next year, I can’t help but be excited for what is in store for independent insurance agents. In the business of protecting people and companies from risk, insurance has long been considered a conservative industry. But technological innovations are breathing new life into our industry and helping us connect more powerfully with our customers to deliver better products and better service. How could I not be excited for these changes?

If you’re currently exploring your options, you might be wondering — is an insurance agency cluster good for growth? Everyone’s situation is different, but here are some issues to consider before you join a cluster.

Smart Choice has experienced staggering growth over the past few years, and 2021 was no exception. We're proud to partner with such dedicated agencies and carriers. We could not have achieved these milestones in 2021 without you!

Like many of you, I recall breathing a sigh of relief when the calendar flipped over to 2021, with high hopes that the challenges of 2020 were finally behind us. Unfortunately, that was not the case and as the pandemic lingered, so did the obstacles for many industries, including ours. Yet Smart Choice, our agents and carrier partners all worked together to hit some amazing milestones and put together another great year in the books.

There are two different types of insurance agents — captive and independent. Which one's right for you?

One of the primary reasons so many agents choose to go the independent route is the freedom it brings – the freedom to manage your own life and business, and the freedom to build something on your own terms. It’s very different from running an agency in the captive world with all if its restrictions and requirements – and you have more decision-making capabilities when it comes to your clients and growth targets.

We present six points to consider when examining the contract of an agency network, cluster or aggregator group, alongside the approach Smart Choice uses in its agency-friendly contract.

Invest in Your Success

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The COVID-19 pandemic may have created a need for online continuing education courses but agents have since found that learning remotely is what they want, particularly as many companies delay returning to their offices following a resurgence in virus cases.