Let’s be honest–when you see a newer company like Captive Coalition come into the captive insurance scene, you likely react with, “That’s cool and all, but what credibility do you have? How do I know you’re not just another startup with a sales deck and smile?”
You’re not the only person to ask these questions. And coming in with skepticism makes sense. You don’t want to get shafted, have a client get poached, waste your time, have your “partner” become a competitor, and compromise your book of business.
You have every right and reason to have that skepticism.
When it comes to Captive Coalition, our sole purpose is to educate independent agents. We want agents like you to thrive and maintain your best clients. You should never have to hand your client off to someone you don’t fully trust. The whole point of captives is for your clients to have control over their insurance. You should also have control over your book of business, your relationship with your best clients, and improving your practice and reputation.
This article will walk you through how we differ from other captive managers, what protections we put in place, and how our purpose is to support independent agents.
Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room
Yeah, we’re new. We’re not hiding it. While Captive Coalition is new, the team behind Captive Coalition includes names that are anything but new to this space.
- Scott Barry started Liberty Mutual’s captive division back in the 1970s.
- Will McPherson has 30+ years of building captives from the ground up.
- Mary Belka is the backbone of agency operations and writes for Rough Notes.
- Warren Cleveland, founder & CEO of Captive Coalition, built up a captive agency that still works with agents every day.
Combined, this team sits on 160+ years of real industry experience. Captives are the thing we specialize in.
Take a look at our team page to learn more about each member. We can give you names, but you can also see their faces.
We like to think we can work with you. The reality is we might not be your fit. And that’s okay.
What We Do Differently And Why It Matters to You
Captive Coalition is designed for one goal: to protect and empower the independent agent.
Here are our five core tenets to make this clear:
- No giant chains. We work only with small to mid-sized independent agents.
- Not BOR takeovers. You keep your client unless you commit fraud, lose your license, or sell your agency.
- No direct-to-business-owner sales. We’ll never do this. If a prospect reaches out to us without an agent, we refer them to one of our members (who are independent agents).
- No secret side deals. We always keep you in the loop and control.
- It’s YOUR client. Always. We’re your partner, not your replacement.
You’re the quarterback. We want to give you the captive playbook, plays, and strategies.
Read our more in-depth article on the five rules of Captive Coalition. We’re serious about these tenets.
No One Steals Your Client. Ever. Period.
Here’s where a lot of the fear comes from. You bring your best clients into a captive discussion, and someone else decides to swoop in. Suddenly, you’re watching a part of your book of business walk out the door. Your best client is lost.
We have heard this horror story so many times.
We’ve baked protection into the model:
- BOR changes are not allowed except in extreme cases (fraud, losing your license, or selling your agency).
- We never talk to your client without you.
- Our agreements lock your name in the submission.
Your name stays on the account. If we hear otherwise from a member, it’s immediately handled.
How Do I Know You Won’t Sell to My Client?
We won't. Guaranteed. This is far more than a promise. It’s part of our policy. Agent protection is hard-coded into everything done with Captive Coalition.
Other captive groups sometimes act like wholesalers. You send a lead, and suddenly you’re out of the loop. That’s not a BS game we play.
You run the client calls. You get the updates. Most of all, you own the relationship.
Again, if a business owner reaches out to us directly without an agent, we hand them off to one of our members.
What’s Working So Far (Wins and Results)
Look, we’re still growing. That doesn’t mean we’re guessing. Membership is expanding, especially with Big I agents. Webinars have more members joining, submissions are coming in strong, and our sales training is used every day for independent agents to strengthen their book of business.
We’ve had agents find us online who were skeptical (reasonably so) and brought up serious questions. Calls were set up with others in our leadership team. We don’t talk about credibility within the industry. We take the time to show agents the faces behind the experience and let them give their expertise.
Tools That Help Make You an Expert on Captives
Even if you aren’t an expert on captives, you can at least sound like an expert in front of them. We’re not going to make you fake it.
Here’s what's included in membership:
- Sales Training
- Pre-Call Coaching
- Templates and calculators to keep the process smooth
- Membership site access with videos and explainers
- Prequalification checklists and Assessment tools
- One-on-one support is available when you need to talk to someone about strategy or understand more about captives.
Oh, yeah. Joining is free. And we won’t spam you and your clients with emails.
Your Feedback Isn’t Ignored
Every month, we hold live membership calls. We want your feedback. Not only do we want it, but we use it.
We're more than interested if it helps you keep or win business. If it makes the process easier for agents across the board, we build it into the system.
You’re Never in the Dark
Transparency isn’t a word we throw out willy-nilly. It’s the entire point of captives. We want that transparency with you.
You see:
- Where the submission is in the process
- Who’s reviewing it
- When pricing is ready
- What’s expected next
The fronting carriers we work with are all A-rated. Reinsurance is backed by names you know. You’re not reaching into a mystery box.
Thinking of Becoming a Member with Captive Coalition?
Look, we understand your skepticism. You might be someone who has dealt with bold promises that were never met. Those promises were broken and hurt your practice. And we get that you wouldn’t want to experience it again.
Again, we might not be a good fit for you. However, we ask you to give us a chance to see if we work for you. We take no offense if you don’t think we do. Regardless, we want to be a partner that puts your success and relationship with your client first.
If you’re not ready to become a member and are still on the fence, you can schedule a call with a consultant to give you peace of mind and help eliminate indecisiveness. You can also read our article on the community of Captive Coalition.
If you want to give it a go and become a member of Captive Coalition for free, you will have access to training, webinars, tools, and resources to help your best clients access captives.
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