After immigrating to the U.S. and restarting his career from scratch during one of the hardest insurance markets in decades, Darley Tomaz partnered with Smart Choice to launch Anchor Insurance & Wealth Builders—scaling from zero to a multi-million-dollar book in just three years.
Quick Win Stats
- $0 → Nearly $4M in written premium (2022–2025)
- 2 policies sold on Day One after launch
- 40+ carrier rejections overcome through Smart Choice market access
Agency Overview
| 🏢 Agency Name Anchor Insurance & Wealth Builders |
📍 Location Everett, WA and Woodinville, WA |
⏳ Years in Business 4 years |
| 📈 Agency Type New / Rapid Growth |
🧾 Lines of Business Personal, Commercial, Life |
🤝 Smart Choice Services Used Access, Support, Leverage |
The Challenge: Launching an Agency While Starting Over
What Was Happening
- Restarting an insurance career after immigrating from Brazil
- No existing U.S. book of business or carrier appointments
- Entering the market during the 2022 hard market
- Rejected by more than 40 insurance carriers
Why It Mattered
- Unable to legally operate or quote without carrier access
- Risk of stalling business launch entirely
- Limited options for serving an underserved niche community
Smart Choice Solution: Market Access When It Mattered Most
Programs & Support Used
- Market Access for carrier appointments
- Placement and submission support
- Network leverage during a hard market
What Smart Choice Delivered
- Provided immediate access to essential carrier markets
- Enabled Darley to bind policies on Day One
- Offered flexible, agent-friendly contracts with no startup or monthly fees
- Delivered higher commission potential through negotiated carrier relationships
The Results: From Zero to Nearly $4 Million in Three Years
- Launched agency successfully during one of the most restrictive markets in recent history
- Built a book approaching $4 million in premium within three years
- Established a profitable niche serving the U.S.-based Brazilian contractor community
- Maintained long-term client retention from the very first policy sold
“A lot of people say it’s impressive. Starting from nothing, learning English and figuring out how to operate in the U.S. But for me, it’s just doing my job.” — Darley Tomaz, Founder, Anchor Insurance & Wealth Builders
Today, even as other networks attempt to recruit him, Darley remains committed to Smart Choice—the partner that helped him succeed when no one else would.
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