Sell Your Insurance Business

Insurance Agencies

Sell Your Insurance Agency Into the Single Most PE-Active Category in the Country

Insurance brokerage is the most aggressively consolidated industry in America. PE-sponsored acquirers drove 80%+ of all M&A activity in 2024 and through H1 2025. EBITDA multiples averaged 11.8x in H1 2025 — among the highest of any service category — with high-performing agencies often commanding 12x+ EBITDA.

200+
Deals Sold
$800M+
Volume Sold
#1
Ranked by Axial
50
States Served
The Insurance Agency Market

Why Insurance Brokerage Is the Most Consolidated Service Industry

Insurance brokerage has the most predictable revenue economics of any service category — commissions auto-renew with the policy, customer retention runs 85%+, and growth comes both from new accounts and rate increases. PE has identified this as the most attractive consolidation thesis in services, and the multiples reflect that.

11.8x
Average EBITDA multiple (H1 2025)
Virtually unchanged from 11.9x in 2024. Multiples have remained at record levels even as deal volume normalized.
80%+
PE share of insurance M&A
PE-sponsored acquirers drove 80%+ of insurance M&A activity in 2024 and through H1 2025 — the highest PE share of any service industry.
7.5x–12x+
Range for strong agencies
Strong agencies span 7.5x–12x+ EBITDA. High-performing agencies often command 12x+ — reflecting buyer preference for scalable, resilient agencies.
Best-in-class
Premium agencies see even higher
Best-in-class smaller agencies with strategic value (niche specialty, growth profile, technology) may see considerably higher multiples than usual.
Insurance Agency Economics

PE Buyers Are Driving Multiple Arbitrage at Industry Scale

PE platforms operate insurance through multiple arbitrage: buy a $1M EBITDA agency at 8x ($8M), tuck it into a $50M EBITDA platform that trades at 14x ($700M). That math is what drives the unusually high acquisition multiples agencies see today.

The PE multiple-arbitrage model is enormously valuable for sellers

Tuck-in agencies under $1M EBITDA: 6x–8x. Mid-tier $1M–$5M EBITDA: 8x–11x. Platform-quality agencies $5M+ EBITDA: 11x–13x. Specialty / niche agencies with strategic value can exceed these ranges. Roll-ups of smaller insurance companies in various consumer verticals are expected to accelerate in the coming 2–3 quarters.

Insurance multiples have remained remarkably steady despite economic volatility. Whether this persists indefinitely is uncertain. We’re not financial advisors — talk to your CPA and M&A counsel.

8x–13x
EBITDA multiples for quality insurance agencies in 2025
Who’s Buying Insurance Agency Businesses

Insurance Has a Concentrated Set of Very Active Buyers

Insurance brokerage M&A is dominated by PE-backed national platforms. Four buyer categories compete for quality agency deals:

National PE-backed broker platforms

AssuredPartners (GTCR-backed), Hub International (Hellman & Friedman / Altas Partners), Acrisure, Alera Group, Risk Strategies, Patriot Growth, World Insurance Associates, NFP, BroadStreet, and dozens of other PE-backed national platforms. Pay the highest multiples for quality agencies.

Mid-sized regional platforms

Many regional PE-backed platforms exist to build geographic density before potentially selling up to a national. Often competitive on price and faster to close.

Strategic acquirers (carriers, family-owned brokers)

Some larger family-owned brokers and some carriers occasionally acquire agencies strategically. Less common than PE but can be culturally preferable for some sellers.

Search funds and SBA-leveraged operators

For agencies under $1.5M EBITDA, search funds and SBA-leveraged individual buyers are competitive. Less common in insurance than other categories but growing.

What Drives Value

What Buyers Look For in Insurance Agency Acquisitions

Commission persistency, niche specialization, and growth profile drive the biggest multiple swings in insurance.

Commission persistency & retention ratesAbove 90% retention supports premium multiples. Below 80% is a serious red flag that caps multiples.
Specialty / niche focusNiche specialization (cyber, professional liability, transportation, hospitality, etc.) commands premium multiples for the expertise barrier and growth dynamics.
Growth profile (organic + new business)Above 10% annual organic growth supports premium multiples. Above 15% combined growth (organic + new business) is exceptional and commands top-quartile pricing.
Producer bench & successionBuyers worry about producer retention. Strong producer bench with reasonable compensation and stay-bonus arrangements supports premium multiples.
EBITDA scale & marginsAbove $2M EBITDA you become a clear platform target. Margins typically run 20%–35%; above 25% commands a premium.
Carrier mix & book compositionDiversified carrier appointments and balanced commercial/personal mix support premium multiples. Heavy concentration in a few carriers or product types caps them.
The Process

How We Sell Your Insurance Agency Business

From your first valuation call to the wire hitting your account, we handle every stage of the exit. A typical transaction closes in 4–9 months. You focus on running the business; we run the deal.

01

Free Business Valuation

We benchmark your financials against current Insurance Agency comparables and active buyer demand to give you a real, defensible valuation — at no cost and no obligation.

02

Confidential Marketing

We approach the Insurance Agency buyers most likely to bid quickly first — typically PE platforms and strategic acquirers active in your category — then broaden the process.

03

Buyer Competition

We bring multiple qualified offers to the table — PE platforms, strategics, search funds, SBA buyers — and negotiate them against each other to drive price and terms.

04

Due Diligence & Close

We coordinate with your CPA, attorney, and the buyer’s diligence team to keep momentum and prevent the deal from drifting. Closings typically happen 60–120 days after LOI.

Recent Market Activity

Insurance Brokerage M&A Stayed at Record Levels in 2025

Despite slight declines in deal volume, multiples remained at record levels through 2024 and H1 2025 — with PE share of activity continuing to grow.

Multiples held at 11.8x average
H1 2025 EBITDA multiples averaged 11.8x — virtually unchanged from 2024 average of 11.9x. Insurance is unique in how multiples have stayed elevated despite volatility.
PE share remains dominant
PE-sponsored acquirers continued to drive 80%+ of insurance M&A activity in 2024 and H1 2025.
Roll-ups into consumer verticals
Acquirers are increasingly rolling up smaller insurance companies in various consumer-facing verticals, with larger PE firms attempting to emulate Allstate/Progressive bundling models.
Common Questions

Insurance Agency Sellers Ask Us

What is my insurance agency actually worth?
For agencies with $1M+ EBITDA, current market multiples range from 8x–13x EBITDA. Specialty focus, commission persistency, growth profile, and EBITDA scale are the biggest variables. Smaller agencies (under $500K EBITDA) trade at 5x–8x. High-performing agencies often command 12x+ for the right size and growth profile. Get a free valuation.
Should I take rollover equity in the buyer platform?
Often yes — if the platform is strong. PE-backed insurance platforms typically offer 10–30% of your sale proceeds as rollover equity in the platform. If the platform sells up the chain at a higher multiple (which is the entire PE thesis), your rollover equity can significantly enhance total payout. We’re not financial advisors — talk to your CPA and M&A counsel about the right structure for your situation.
Is my agency too small for PE platform interest?
If you have $500K+ EBITDA and 90%+ retention, multiple PE platforms will be interested. Sub-$500K EBITDA agencies still have a buyer pool (smaller PE-backed regional platforms and consolidators), just at slightly lower multiples (5x–8x typical). Niche specialization can dramatically boost interest even at smaller sizes.
How long does it take to sell a insurance agency business?
Most transactions close within 4–9 months from start to wire. Smaller SBA-financed deals can move faster (3–5 months). Larger PE-led deals with quality-of-earnings reports and committee approvals can take 6–10 months. We give you a realistic timeline at the valuation call.
Will my employees, customers, or competitors find out I’m selling?
No. We never publish your business name. Every prospective buyer signs an NDA before seeing identifying details, and we vet financial qualifications before granting access to your data room.
Do I have to stay on after the sale?
Almost always for some transition period — 3 to 12 months is typical. Search-fund and PE buyers often want longer because they’re acquiring the relationships and knowledge as much as the assets. Shorter transitions are possible when the operation is genuinely turnkey.
What does Business Exits charge?
We work on a success-fee model — we get paid only when your deal closes. There are no upfront retainers and the valuation is free.
Our Team

Brokers Built From the Operator’s Side of the Table

Our brokers are former business owners themselves. That’s why the process is built around the things that actually matter to sellers — net proceeds, confidentiality, and not having the deal drift for a year.

Business Exits Team

Find Out What Your Insurance Agency Business Is Worth

Takes 15 minutes. No obligation. Just an honest number, benchmarked against current buyer demand and recent comparable transactions in your industry.

Get My Free Valuation →

Market Data Sources

Insurance brokerage M&A data from Sica Fletcher (H1 2025 valuations), First Page Sage, Capstone Partners, and Agency Brokerage (2025). EBITDA multiples and PE share statistics from publicly disclosed industry reports. Active acquirer examples are drawn from publicly disclosed transactions and firm marketing materials and do not imply an exclusive relationship with Business Exits. We are not tax or legal advisors; consult a CPA and attorney before any transaction.