We have seen it occur in the context of industry publications, national and regional associations, and prospective members. It’s an honest mistake. We all possess a need or desire to categorize and put some context around the SIAA business model. Comparison, contrast, and categorization is how we make sense of the world surrounding us.
So, what exactly is SIAA, and why is it unfair to affix the aggregator or cluster label to it? They all provide access to markets, right?
The differences are many, but one could distill it down to 1. size, and 2. a focus on the agent (vs the premium), and 3. a vested interest. Members are located throughout the entire United States and the in-force written premium is over $12.46 Billion.
There simply are no other national networks that can compare.
Size. Why is size important? It provides stability during a time when the industry and the independent agency channel is evolving in unprecedented ways. It provides strength in negotiating agreements with insurance company partners, and it provides the capital to invest in the resources and support to better equip member agencies.
Agency Focused. While SIAA, aggregators and clusters all provide access to companies and markets that may otherwise be unavailable to the independent insurance agent, the SIAA partnering model uniquely focuses on providing the agency, regardless of its situation and size, whatever it needs to be more profitable and independent. This can include agency marketing support, programs & specialty markets, E&S partnerships, training and education, life & benefits partners, and perpetuation planning.
Vested Interest. We are all in this boat together. Over the last 40 years, SIAA’s insurance company partners have come to rely on the growing SIAA network to meet certain benchmarks in new business, loss-ratios and total premium. SIAA employs a proven book management process, working with SIAA membership to adopt front-line underwriting behaviors. This ensures that each member’s profit sharing and override revenues continue to grow their bottom line.
This attention to book quality ensures each SIAA member will continue to be offered the best possible commissions, incentives and markets available.
Sidebar:
WHAT IS AN INSURANCE CLUSTER VS AGGREGATOR?
WHAT IS A CLUSTER?
A group of agents form a joint venture to place their individual books of business as part of a larger book in order to receive higher commissions or overrides. Cluster members maintain independent ownership of their accounts and agency while continuing to operate individually. Generally, clusters are not formed for aggressive premium growth but rather to increase income by combining volumes.
WHAT IS AN AGGREGATOR?
A provider of market access that aggregates premium without any support services or tools.