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Unglin Business Brokers · 1:1 Mentorship

Insurance Agency Valuation Multiple 2026 — SDE, EBITDA & Deal Structure Guide

Insurance Agency businesses typically sell for 1.5–2.5× annual revenue (renewal book pricing) in 2026. This guide covers verified insurance agency valuation multiples, key value drivers, typical deal structures, and market trends for brokers and buyers.

Last verified: 2026 | Sources: IBBA Market Pulse, BVR, BIZCOMPS transaction database

Insurance Agency Valuation Multiples — Quick Reference 2026

Metric2026 Range
SDE multiple1.5–2.5× annual revenue (renewal book pricing)
EBITDA multiple6–8× EBITDA
Revenue multiple1.5–2.5× annual commissions
Average deal size$300K–$5M
Time to sell4–8 months
SBA eligibleYes — SBA 7(a) widely used for insurance agency acquisitions

What Drives Insurance Agency Value Higher

  • Renewal retention rate above 90%
  • Commercial lines concentration (higher margins than personal lines)
  • Carrier appointment diversity — no single carrier above 30% premium
  • Premium volume growth trend (3-year CAGR above 5%)
  • Exclusive or preferred carrier appointment access

What Reduces Insurance Agency Valuation

  • Personal lines concentration — thin margins, high churn
  • Single carrier dependency — carrier can terminate appointment
  • Below-market retention rates (under 85% annual retention)
  • Owner managing all key carrier relationships personally

Typical Deal Structure — Insurance Agency Acquisitions

SBA 7(a) dominates — 85–90% LTV common; 10% down; 10-year term. Aggregators (Acrisure, Hub International, Patriot National) paying 6–8× EBITDA cash for quality books. Traditional buyer (P&C licensed agent): seller note + SBA combination.

Insurance Agency Valuation Trend 2024–2026

Rising strongly — insurance agency aggregator activity at record levels. Acrisure, Hub, Patriot, BRP Group acquiring at 6–8× EBITDA. Independent agency multiples compressed at smaller sizes but strong above $500K revenue.

Frequently Asked Questions — Insurance Agency Valuation

What is the valuation multiple for an insurance agency?

Insurance agencies typically sell for 1.5–2.5× annual revenue for standard P&C books. Aggregators (Acrisure, Hub, Patriot) pay 6–8× EBITDA for quality commercial-focused agencies above $500K revenue. Renewal retention rate is the single most important valuation driver — agencies with 92%+ retention achieve top-of-range multiples.

What is the insurance agency 'book of business' rule of thumb?

The traditional insurance agency pricing rule of thumb is '1.5× to 2.5× annualized commissions' — where annual commissions equal the agency's total renewal book. Commercial-lines-heavy agencies achieve higher multiples than personal-lines-heavy books.

How does insurance agency aggregator consolidation affect valuations?

Insurance aggregators (Acrisure, Hub, Patriot) have significantly elevated mid-market agency valuations to 6–8× EBITDA. However, these prices are typically available only to agencies with $500K+ EBITDA and strong commercial lines books. Smaller agencies (under $300K revenue) still trade closer to the 1.5–2.0× revenue range.

Does SBA financing work for buying an insurance agency?

Yes — SBA 7(a) is the most common financing method for insurance agency acquisitions under $5M. The SBA requires the buyer to hold a P&C license in the relevant state and typically finances 85–90% of the acquisition price with a 10-year repayment term.

What is the most important factor in insurance agency valuation?

Renewal retention rate is the most important single factor in insurance agency valuation. A book retaining 92%+ of policies annually is worth significantly more than one retaining 85%. Buyers model retention rates over 5–10 years — even small differences in retention rates compound significantly.

Learn to Value and Sell Insurance Agencys as a Business Broker

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