Smart Choice has surpassed 12,000 independent insurance agency partnerships nationwide, reaching another growth milestone for the agency network.
The Greensboro, North Carolina-based company announced that it had already reached its 2026 recruitment goal of 1,000 new agency partnerships by early June. With several months remaining in the year, Smart Choice said its current pace puts it in position to potentially double its original annual recruitment target.
Andrew Caldwell, CEO of Smart Choice, said new agency agreements have accelerated beyond the company’s expectations, even as conditions in the insurance market have begun to soften.
Caldwell attributed some of the growth to Smart Choice’s increased focus on educational and thought leadership resources designed to help independent agents evaluate insurance networks and understand their options.
The company is also seeing interest from captive insurance agents considering a move to the independent agency model. According to Smart Choice, compensation structures, customer service challenges and the desire for greater control over their businesses are among the factors encouraging captive agents to explore independent agency networks.
Greg Meinberg, owner of Meinberg Insurance Agency and a former third-generation State Farm captive agent, said moving to the independent channel was a significant decision. During his search for an agency network, Meinberg said he encountered organizations that charged substantial fees or required agencies to give up more control than he was comfortable with.
Meinberg ultimately chose Smart Choice because of its commission structure, lack of fees and combination of agency support and independence.
Smart Choice provides independent agencies with access to insurance carriers, products and business resources while allowing participating agencies to maintain ownership and control of their businesses.
Reaching more than 12,000 agency partnerships reflects continued interest among both established independent agencies and captive agents looking for additional market access and greater flexibility.
Information for this article was provided by Smart Choice. Views and claims expressed in this article are those of the source company and do not necessarily reflect the views of AgencyEquity.com. This article may have been edited with the help of AI.
