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Celebrating Excellence: 29 IIAT Member Agencies Named 2025 Best Practices Agencies

We’re proud to celebrate 29 IIAT member agencies recognized as 2025 Best Practices Agencies by the Big “I” and Reagan Consulting.

These agencies represent the top tier of independent insurance agencies in the nation—selected for their outstanding operational and financial performance, high sales velocity, and strong profitability, even amid shifting market conditions.

The annual Best Practices Study has long served as the gold standard for benchmarking performance and setting aspirational targets in our industry. This year’s study marks the beginning of a new three-year cycle and includes two new revenue categories: $25–100 million and $100+ million. These changes reflect the remarkable growth at the upper end of the market—a trend clearly demonstrated by this year’s class.

“Despite some market headwinds, Best Practices agencies delivered another year of excellent results,” says Charles Symington, Big “I” president & CEO. “We extend our congratulations to these cream-of-the-crop agencies for their outstanding operational success. They are the best examples of the resiliency and strength of the independent agency channel.”

Key findings from the update include:

  • Organic growth remains at a record high. At 10.7%, organic growth levels were driven by strong organic growth in personal property & casualty and group benefits. However, commercial p&c revenue growth slowed in all revenue categories except the $1.25-$2.5 million group due to a moderating rate environment.
  • Profitability maintains historically high levels. At 26.1%, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) margins fell just short of last year’s record results of 26.3%.
  • The Rule of 20 results hit another all-time high. The Rule of 20, calculated by adding organic growth to 50% of pro forma EBITDA, continued to set records with an impressive 25.1. The Rule of 20 is the best metric to gauge overall agency health.
  • Sales velocity remains healthy. Sales velocity in all revenue categories exceeded the critical 12%-13% threshold to be considered a healthy sales culture.
  • Producer recruitment and development remains healthy. Net unvalidated producer payroll (NUPP), a measure of successful producer recruitment and development, held steady at 2.0%, compared to 1.9% in 2024. A healthy NUPP investment is 1.5%-2.0%, indicating that Best Practices agencies are appropriately reinvesting in future growth engines.
  • Revenue per employee rose. Revenue per employee hit $228,321. However, this increase in productivity did not lead to record profitability due to a significant increase in average compensation per employee.

Congrats to the 2025 Best Practices Agencies!

"Congratulations to each agency recognized. You lead by example—and the entire independent agent community in Texas is stronger because of your work,"

- IIAT President & Executive Director Marit Peters.

  • 1st Choice Insurance
  • BKCW Insurance
  • Bosworth & Associates
  • Boyd, Shackelford, Barnett & Dixon, LLC
  • Brady, Chapman, Holland & Assoc.
  • CoVerica
  • Dean & Draper Insurance Agency, LP
  • Ellis Insurance Agency
  • F5 Insurance Solutions
  • Galveston Insurance Associates
  • Grimes Insurance Agency
  • Hibbs Hallmark & Company
  • Higginbotham & Associates
  • Insurors of Texas General Agency, Ltd.
  • Pathfinder LL&D Insurance Group
  • Patterson & Associates Insurance Agency
  • Pierson & Fendley Insurance Agency
  • RHSB
  • Riskwell
  • Shannon Miller Insurance
  • Shepard Walton Employee Benefits
  • Southwest Business Corporation
  • Steward Risk
  • Swingle, Collins & Associates
  • Texan Insurance
  • TexCap-Concord Insurance Services, LP (TexCap Insurance)
  • The Risk Specialty Group
  • Tower Street Insurance
  • Upshaw Insurance Agency
  • Walthall, Sachse & Pipes
  • Watkins Insurance Group
  • WinStar Insurance Group

About the Best Practices Study

The annual Best Practices Study began in 1993 as a joint initiative between the Big “I” and Reagan Consulting and studies leading agencies and brokers in the country to help independent agents build the value of their agencies.

For more information on the Best Practices program or to purchase a copy of the 2025 Best Practices Study visit the Big “I” Best Practices webpage.

More than half of the Best Practices Agencies in Texas have used IIAT's consulting services.

The sooner you reach out to IIAT, the sooner we can roll up our sleeves and get to work.

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