When you start a new independent agency from scratch, you’re probably going to need some help getting carrier appointments – no matter how long you’ve been in the industry. Letisia Aguirre, better known as Letty, is the president of Capital Insurance Services of Florida, Inc. By choosing market access support through Smart Choice, she’s been able to impress her clients, earn referrals and achieve steady growth – all on her own terms. 
Learning the Ropes
In 1999, Letty obtained her insurance license and started working at an agency. The industry quickly proved to be a good match for her, and she did well even in the first year. She stayed at that agency for 10 years before moving to another agency, where she stayed for another six years. Then in 2017, she decided it was the right time to open her own agency.
“I pretty much knew everything I could possibly know,” she says, explaining that after 16 years in the business, there wasn’t much left to learn about the products she sold. It was time to start a new chapter. Backed by experience, knowledge and a history of success, Letty was confident. “I knew in my mind that I would succeed,” she says. Nevertheless, it wasn’t always easy.
Finding Support
As anyone who’s ever opened a new independent insurance agency could have predicted, the biggest challenge was getting carrier appointments. “It’s really hard when you’re a new agency to get appointments,” Letty says. She knew she would need some support and connections, so she started looking at different aggregators and networks, weighing the carrier connections available against the various costs involved.
After careful analysis, Letty realized that some of the aggregators were not good choices. At least one required a large startup fee, and some also had hefty exit fees. Another didn’t provide much access to auto carriers, which was an important part of Letty’s business. Fortunately, one organization stood head and shoulders above the rest. With no fees, an agent-friendly contract and broad multi-line carrier access, Smart Choice was clearly the smartest choice for her situation.
Taking Off
After a difficult few months, business suddenly began to take off. Some of the clients she served at her previous agencies found her and followed her, and her new agency’s location proved to be helpful too. Letty shares a space with a tax preparer, which leads to some natural cross promotion for both of them. Everybody must file taxes, and everybody needs insurance.
That said, referrals have really been her bread and butter, and by far the largest source of growth. But referrals don’t happen based on excellent service alone. They happen when excellent service is combined with robust coverage at a fair price. That magic combination has been much easier to deliver with Smart Choice on her side.
“The good thing about Smart Choice is that there are so many different carriers to choose from,” Letty says. “I always choose the policy with the best coverage for the lowest premium possible.”
Her customers see that she’s really trying to help them, and they appreciate the value they receive, so they refer their family and friends.
By working with Smart Choice, Letty gets the carrier access she needs to give her clients the very best choices available. But even more importantly, she gets excellent advice. “The service is always there,” she says, explaining that whenever she has a question, she can call one her contacts at Smart Choice. Often, that’s Libby Smith, Senior Agent Experience Representative with Smart Start Personal Lines. Through the network’s Smart Start program, agents are able to gain access to carriers they don’t have appointments with, and receive underwriting help from the home office.
Worthy of Referrals
Referrals go both ways. With the carrier access that Smart Choice provides, Letty has made herself worthy of referrals. She also refers Smart Choice to other agencies who need the same kind of support she did.
“I would definitely recommend Smart Choice,” she says, and she already has. In fact, she referred her own sister!
Why is Letty such a big fan? It’s not just because Smart Choice provides access to carriers without startup and exit costs. It’s also that Smart Choice supports agency growth at the pace the agency owner wants, instead of demanding large quotas.
“If you sell one policy a month they’re not going to come back and say oh, we don’t want you to be a part of us anymore,” says Letty. “They give you the opportunity to grow slowly at your own pace.”
Letty’s business is growing at a pace that makes sense for her. She’s experienced great revenue growth, and she’s even been able to hire three people. “Thank God I’m growing,” Letty says. “Thank God for Smart Choice because they’ve really helped me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Smart Choice.”