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Know what you are acquiring, and what you actually acquired.
A profitable book can look excellent on paper. Revenue, retention, loss ratios, carrier relationships and account mix tell an important part of the story, but they do not always tell you what is happening inside the files.
I know that process from both sides. My family’s third-generation insurance agency was acquired by a larger organization, and I was heavily involved in the acquisition and integration that followed. I knew the book from the inside while also working through the expectations, processes and operational changes of the acquiring organization. That experience gave me an unusual perspective on what makes a book valuable, what an acquirer needs to understand, and what may not become apparent until integration is already underway.
An independent acquisition review adds another layer to traditional financial and operational due diligence. Depending on the scope, I can sample client files, review documentation and coverage practices, evaluate workflows and procedural consistency, identify potential E&O exposure, and look for patterns that may affect the quality of the book you are acquiring.
The same review can be valuable after closing. Once integration begins, questions inevitably surface. Are inconsistencies isolated, or are they part of the way the acquired agency operated? Are established procedures actually reflected in the files? Are there coverage or documentation practices that should be addressed before the next renewal cycle? Which differences matter, and which are simply different ways of accomplishing the same thing?
The purpose is not to find something wrong with every acquisition. A strong book should be recognized as a strong book. The purpose is to give leadership an experienced, independent view of what is actually there so you can preserve what works, address what does not, and integrate with fewer surprises.
Pre-acquisition. Post-close. During integration. Or whenever you need an experienced second set of eyes.
Acquisition Review Pricing
Acquisition reviews are scoped according to the size and complexity of the book, lines of business involved, and depth of review required. The following provides a starting point for planning purposes.
Acquisition File Sample Review
Starting at $2,000
An independent review of a randomly selected sample of the prospective or acquired book of business.
Standard engagements review 10% of the policy population, subject to minimum and maximum sample sizes based on the size and complexity of the book. Files are reviewed for documentation quality, coverage practices, procedural consistency, potential E&O exposure, and recurring patterns that may warrant additional investigation.
If the initial sample identifies a concern, targeted expanded sampling can be added to determine whether the issue appears isolated or more widespread.
Includes sample selection, file review, analysis of findings, a written executive summary, and a findings consultation.
Final pricing is based on book size, account complexity, lines of business, and review scope.
Acquisition Due Diligence Review
File Sample Review + $2,500
For buyers who want to look beyond individual files and better understand the operation behind the book.
The Acquisition Due Diligence Review includes the File Sample Review plus an examination of relevant agency workflows, procedures, documentation standards, coverage practices, and operational consistency.
The goal is to identify patterns, potential systemic concerns, and operational considerations that may not be apparent from revenue, retention, carrier relationships, or other financial due diligence alone.
Findings are incorporated into an expanded written report with prioritized areas for additional diligence, discussion, or post-close attention.
Post-Acquisition Integration Review
Starting at $3,500
Closing the transaction answers what you bought. Integration begins to show you how it actually operates.
Post-Acquisition Integration Reviews are custom scoped based on the size of the acquired operation, findings from prior diligence, and the areas leadership wants evaluated.
The review may include targeted file sampling, comparison of inherited practices with the acquiring organization's standards, documentation and workflow review, identification of recurring issues, and prioritization of areas requiring training, remediation, standardization, or additional review.
The objective is not to eliminate every difference between the acquired agency and the acquiring organization. It is to determine which differences matter, preserve what works, and address meaningful issues before they become larger ones.
Ongoing Acquisition Review Partnerships
For organizations completing multiple agency or book acquisitions, ongoing review arrangements are available.
A consistent review framework can be applied across transactions to help leadership evaluate book quality, identify recurring areas of risk, compare findings between acquisitions, and establish a repeatable independent review process as the organization grows.
*Partnership pricing is customized based on acquisition volume, typical book size, review scope, and frequency.*
Most agencies have standards for documentation, renewals, coverage recommendations, client communication, and producer authority.
That does not necessarily mean those standards are being followed consistently.
I provide independent reviews of agency files, communication, coverage placement, producer practices, and renewal handling to identify E&O exposure before a client, carrier, attorney, or buyer finds it for you. I have spent more than twenty years in property and casualty insurance, from managing a large personal and commercial book to high net worth production, sales leadership, operations, and consulting. I hold no carrier appointments and earn no commission from the business I review.
Most E&O problems do not start with a claim.
They start much earlier. A client asks to lower the premium and coverage gets reduced without a clear record of the conversation. An endorsement is requested but nobody confirms it was actually issued. A renewal rolls for years without anyone revisiting limits or exposures. A producer recommends higher limits, the client declines, and the declination never makes it into the file.
Individually, these can look like small mistakes. They become much more important when there is a claim and the agency has to reconstruct what happened from emails, activity notes, proposals, applications, and policy documents. That is what I am looking for. Not whether your agency has procedures, but whether the actual file supports what your agency believes happened.
Start With One File or Look at the Bigger Picture
Targeted File Review
Have an account that has been bothering you?
I can review one policy, account, or disputed situation in depth and provide a written assessment of what the documentation supports, where the file is thin, and what I would want addressed.
This is also a good way to see how I approach the work before committing to a larger review.
A spot check of 10 randomly selected files based on the risks you want examined.
The purpose is simple: determine whether you are looking at an isolated issue or a pattern.
If the same documentation problem, renewal habit, or coverage issue keeps appearing across the sample, you know where to look next. If it does not, you have a much better reason to leave the rest of the book alone.
For agencies that want a deeper examination, I can review a defined book, department, producer, or area of operation.
The scope may include files, correspondence, renewal history, coverage placement, documentation practices, and producer behavior, with findings organized by severity and practical recommendations for correcting what needs attention.
This can be particularly useful before an ownership transition, acquisition, perpetuation, E&O renewal, carrier review, or major operational change.
What You Receive
You do not need a 70-page report full of consultant language telling you that your agency should “enhance procedural alignment.”
You need to know what I found. Every engagement includes a written report appropriate to the scope of the review. Findings are tied to the files and documentation that produced them and prioritized based on the exposure they create.
Depending on the engagement, the report may include an executive summary, detailed findings, examples from the files reviewed, patterns that appear across multiple accounts, recommended corrective actions, and areas that warrant a broader review.
We also go through the findings together so you can ask questions, challenge conclusions, and decide what actually needs to happen next.
Who This Is For
This work is for agency owners and principals who want an independent look at what is happening inside their book. Maybe the agency has grown faster than its processes. Maybe you inherited or acquired a book and do not really know what is buried in it. Maybe you have a producer whose documentation has concerned you, a department that has operated largely on its own, an upcoming E&O renewal, or a transaction where you would rather discover the problems before someone else does.
Or maybe nothing has happened. You simply want to know whether the files are as good as you think they are. That is reason enough.
Why Have Someone Outside the Agency Do It?
Because the people inside your agency already have jobs. Producers are producing. Account managers are servicing. Leadership is running the business. Even when everyone is doing good work, it is difficult to objectively audit the systems and habits you work inside every day.
I spent more than twenty years working in those same environments. I hold the Certified Insurance Counselor, Certified Personal Risk Manager, and Accredited Advisor in Insurance designations. My background includes fourteen years managing a book of more than 2,200 personal and commercial lines clients, high net worth production, and senior sales and operations leadership inside independent agencies. I know what good documentation looks like, but I also know how agency work actually gets done when the phone is ringing, the renewal list is full, a producer is trying to save an account, and everyone is moving quickly.
That practical difference matters. I also have no financial interest in what I find. I hold no carrier appointments, receive no commission from the accounts I review, do not sell an AMS or compliance platform, and am not looking for an opportunity to take over the business.My job is to tell you what the files say.
Confidentiality
Agency reviews are handled confidentially, with the scope and reporting structure agreed upon before the work begins. Depending on the purpose of the review, ownership may choose to conduct it without advance notice to production or service staff so the files reflect normal agency practices rather than preparation for an audit.
Some agencies may also choose to discuss with their attorney whether the engagement should be retained or directed through counsel. Questions regarding attorney-client privilege or work-product protection should be addressed with your attorney before the review begins.
Pricing
You do not have to commit to a full agency audit to find out whether there is something worth investigating.
Targeted File Review | $250 flat
One policy or account reviewed in depth, with a written summary of findings.
Agency Checkup | $2,000
10 randomly selected files reviewed in depth, with a findings report and review meeting.
Comprehensive Review | $150 per hour
Scoped after an initial consultation, with a written estimate and agreed-upon cap before work begins.
These are introductory 2026 rates and are locked for the duration of any engagement booked at those rates. Every engagement starts with a no-cost consultation. We will talk through what you are concerned about, what you want reviewed, and whether the work makes sense before you spend money on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
That is up to ownership and the structure of the engagement. A review can be conducted without advance staff notice when appropriate and authorized by the agency.
You know about it. The purpose of the review is not to create a list of problems and disappear. Findings are prioritized, and I provide practical recommendations for addressing the issues identified.
Depending on the situation, that may mean correcting a workflow, reviewing additional accounts, improving documentation, providing training, or involving appropriate legal or E&O professionals.
No. I am retained by the agency, not by its carriers, and I do not have a regulatory role.
Absolutely. In some cases, one questionable file is the best place to start.
If the review shows a larger pattern may exist, we can decide from there whether looking at additional files makes sense.
Yes. Agency review engagements are available nationwide, subject to the scope of the work and any applicable licensing or legal requirements.
