How PCF Insurance is focusing on intentional, strategic growth with agency partners
Today, we are a top 20 US insurance brokerage services company that serves more than 465,000 clients through our nearly 165 agencies* across 37 states. While our collaborative structure allows PCF to provide our clients with comprehensive services covering commercial lines, personal lines, employee benefits and risk management solutions, our success is just as much about our people as it is the diverse capabilities we offer.
Insurance is – and always will be – about relationships for us. Since the beginning, PCF has centered our strategy and outcomes on the ambitions and needs of our agency partners. Our business model is based on welcoming entrepreneurial, high-performing agencies who are committed to sustained, long-term growth. In turn, these agencies have the freedom, support and latitude to focus on growth and deliver personalized services to their customers.
To ensure PCF remains a people-first business, our management and partners came together in November 2021 to buy out our previous financial sponsor. The successful buyout not only accelerated our growth trajectory and further differentiated us from our industry peers, it cemented our independence. The transaction also assured only operational and investment decisions in the best interests of our agency partners would be greenlighted today, and in the future.
We intentionally chose a management buyout structure so we could focus on building a longstanding, successful business with our partners. Our unique structure eliminates conflicts of interest and misalignment, which are common concerns when short-term Wall Street investors and private-equity firms own and control a business.
PCF Insurance is over 75% owned by its agency partners and employee team members. The company’s stock purchase program provides all team members the opportunity to buy the same stock as our agency partners. Additionally, every active team member is eligible to participate in the company’s equity appreciation program, and all owners benefit from an annual liquidity program.
Multiple layers of partner councils and advisory boards drive enterprise wide decision-making and strategic input to the agency level. Plus, the size and scale of our network allows us to establish strong relationships with both regional and national carriers to deploy client-optimized strategies, competitive rates and innovative coverages delivered by the servicing team of our local brokers.
Our collaborative mindset has earned PCF Insurance a reputation as being a preferred partner for entrepreneurial-minded, growth-focused agency owners because even though our partners are independent, everyone has a stake in the success of our organization. Our position as one of the only national insurance brokerages that is truly partner-owned, partner-led and, fundamentally, partner-centric unites us and strategically positions us to collectively excel.
PCF Insurance’s aspiration to become the nation’s premier insurance brokerage and provider of risk management services and technology is rooted in our three core building blocks: new partnerships, agency operations and a shared services model.
Our partnership model balances autonomy and synergy, as PCF empowers agency partners to continue to operate independently while providing access to best-in-class shared services and growth resources, alleviating a lot of the back-office tasks. Our deep bench strength of national experts allows agency partners to collaborate and identify solutions with other leading agencies and frees them up to focus on what they do best – serve clients and grow their business.
We believe access to our collective talents allows all agency partners to perform at a high level, deliver year-over-year increases in organic growth, and retain clients.
The proof of our structure is in the numbers. Since 2019, when we completed six acquisitions, PCF has experienced exponential growth, completing 36 acquisitions in 2000, with another 89 recorded in 2021. This year, we are on track to complete more than 100 acquisitions.
Together, we’re building a multibillion-dollar organization and believe we’re just getting started. We are thrilled to be ranked a top 20 US broker this year, but we are focused on continuing to climb the list even higher with our agency partners serving as the catalyst propelling our growth.
*As of June 30, 2022, and agencies under letter of intent
