New program combines captive access with education, strategy, and sales training to help agents confidently serve their best clients
Tequesta, FL (February 1, 2026) Captive Coalition today announced the launch of Ascend, a new captive insurance program built exclusively for independent agents and fueled by a team of captive insurance veterans.
With Ascot Insurance Company and Ascot Specialty Insurance Company as the fronting issuing carriers, Ascend gives appointed agents access to a captive solution along with the education, strategy, and sales training needed to serve their most valuable clients with confidence.
Independent agents have shown growing interest in captive insurance as a way to retain premium clients and offer more sophisticated risk solutions. But until now, there has been no clear, structured path for agents to learn the captive landscape, let alone access a program designed with their interests in mind.
"As a former independent agent, I learned captives the hard way," said Warren Cleveland, Founder of Captive Coalition. "I lost a $300,000 client, a client I had spent years with on the renewal hamster wheel. The truth is, I didn't take captives seriously. I wasn't educated. I wasn't prepared to have that conversation. After that loss, I had to suffer first, then scratch and claw to figure it out on my own. I built Captive Coalition and assembled a team of captive insurance veterans so agents don't have to go through that. Appointed agents get real education, real strategy, and real access to a captive. Not just information, but the tools to actually have confident conversations with clients."
Captive Coalition is built on transparency, both in costs and process. The program provides agents with resources specifically developed to help them communicate with clients and navigate each step, from initial conversation through implementation.
The company operates under five non-negotiable rules designed to protect agent relationships:
- Captive Coalition works exclusively with independent agents
- Surprise broker-of-record transfers are never accepted
- All clients must be represented by an independent agent
- Captive Coalition never competes with agents for business
- It is always the agent's client
For agency owners, Captive Coalition offers a place to turn for objective information, helping their agents and their agency learn more and do more with captives.
"Captive Coalition's combination of education and hands-on captive experience is a powerful model," said Mark Benz, Executive VP, Head of Alternative Risk Solutions, Ascot Group U.S. "When agents are supported and taught – not just given access to captives – they can become more confident, and in turn, can provide better options to their clients. And confident agents give their clients better options. We're proud to partner with a program that puts that philosophy into practice."
Independent agents interested in getting appointed can learn more at captivecoalition.com.
About Captive Coalition
Captive Coalition is the only captive insurance platform built exclusively for independent insurance agents. Founded by Warren Cleveland, a former independent agent, and fueled by a team of captive insurance veterans, the company provides appointed agents with education, strategy, sales training, and access to captive solutions—all backed by a commitment to transparency and agent protection. Learn more at captivecoalition.com.
About Ascot Group
Ascot Insurance Company and Ascot Specialty Insurance Company are part of the Ascot Group, a leading global insurance, reinsurance, and underwriting services group with over 20 years of consistent stability and a diverse insurance product portfolio. US insurance company affiliates within the Ascot Group are rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company, A+ by Fitch Ratings Inc. and A by S&P Ratings.
Contact Information:
Warren Cleveland, Founder and CEO
Captive Coalition
warrent@captivecoaltion.com
Warren Cleveland
Warren Cleveland launched Captive Coalition after firsthand experience as an independent agency owner revealed a major gap in the market: agents lacked access to the knowledge and resources needed to compete with large brokerages offering captive insurance solutions. Warren brings over a decade of insurance leadership—including as President of ReNu Insurance Group—and a career that spans aviation, real estate, and commercial insurance. His mission is to ensure agents stay in control, keep their best clients, and confidently lead with captives. Warren Cleveland, ACI, CIC, AAI
