Wallace Welch & Willingham
Wallace Welch & Willingham (W3 Insurance) is an independent Florida insurance agency founded in 1927 that places commercial, personal, employee benefits, and marine coverage for over 12,000 clients through 300+ carrier relationships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersSt. Petersburg, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wallace Welch & Willingham does
Wallace Welch & Willingham, operating under the W3 Insurance brand, is a privately held independent insurance agency founded in 1927 and headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, with a second office in Sarasota. The firm employs 140+ people and serves over 12,000 clients, primarily small and mid-size businesses, industry-specific verticals (auto dealerships, construction, non-profits, manufacturing, education, hospitality), and individual consumers across Florida. As an independent agency, W3 places business with 300+ insurance carriers rather than underwriting its own policies, earning commissions on commercial lines (property, casualty, workers compensation, cyber, surety bonds), personal lines (homeowners, auto, flood, umbrella, life, disability, pet, marine), and employee benefits products.
The company's technology stack consists of standard agency management infrastructure rather than proprietary platforms, including a client portal (Client Connect for businesses and personal lines), a W3 Risk Management Center, and an HR Hotline. Third-party HR technology solutions (HRIS, payroll, time and attendance, benefits administration) support the small-business employee benefits practice. No proprietary AI/ML systems, patents, or developed technology products are disclosed; competitive differentiation rests on carrier access, vertical expertise, and nearly a century of carrier and client relationships in the Florida market.
W3 generates revenue through four streams: commercial insurance commissions, personal insurance commissions, employee benefits consulting fees, and HR consulting fees. The go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, with licensed insurance advisors conducting in-person consultations at both office locations and a website-based quote-request workflow serving as a self-serve entry point. Pricing is quote-based on individual risk profiles with annual billing cadence. The company has no disclosed parent, no institutional investors, no M&A history, and no public listing, operating as a mature, founder- or management-owned independent agency.
Wallace Welch & Willingham firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wallace Welch & Willingham
- Legal name
- Wallace, Welch, Willingham
- Website
- https://w3ins.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wallace Welch & Willingham (W3 Insurance) is an independent Florida insurance agency founded in 1927 that places commercial, personal, employee benefits, and marine coverage for over 12,000 clients through 300+ carrier relationships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wallace Welch & Willingham industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Insurance Agency (Commercial and Personal Lines Brokerage)
- NAICS
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines) (FSAEADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine & Aviation Insurance (FSAJAKAE), Professional Liability (E&O) (FSAJAGAC), Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) (FSAJADAB)
Keywords
Where Wallace Welch & Willingham is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St. Petersburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Wallace Welch & Willingham business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Insurance Commissions - Commercial Lines: The company operates as an independent insurance agency earning commissions from insurance carriers for placing commercial insurance policies including property, casualty, workers compensation, cyber insurance, and surety bonds for business clients.
- Insurance Commissions - Personal Lines: Commissions from personal insurance products including homeowners, auto, flood, umbrella, life, and disability insurance policies.
- Employee Benefits Consulting: Revenue from employee benefits consulting services including health insurance, wellness programs, compliance audits, and benefits plan design for small and mid-size businesses.
- HR Consulting Services: Fees from HR consulting services including Department of Labor compliance assistance, HR technology solutions, and employee retention guidance for small business clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Custom quote-based insurance programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Wallace Welch & Willingham product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wallace Welch & Willingham is an independent insurance agency that places commercial insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits, and marine insurance coverage on behalf of clients, and supplements those brokerage services with HR consulting. The firm represents multiple insurance carriers and serves more than 12,000 clients across 300+ markets, primarily through its Florida offices in St. Petersburg and Sarasota.
Product overview
Wallace Welch & Willingham (W3 Insurance) operates as an independent insurance agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of commercial and personal insurance products. The core offerings include Commercial Insurance (small business, cyber, surety bonds, industry-specific coverage for auto dealerships, construction, manufacturing, education, hospitality), Personal Insurance (auto, homeowners, flood, umbrella, life, disability, pet), Employee Benefits (small business benefits, data analytics, compliance audit, benefits plan design, wellness programs), Marine Insurance (boat and yacht coverage), and HR Consulting services. The company leverages HR technology solutions including HRIS, payroll software, time & attendance, and benefits administration tools to serve small business clients. The Private Client Services module provides high-value home and excess flood coverage for high-net-worth individuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Commercial Insurance Brokerage Placement of commercial insurance coverage for businesses through the agency's carrier appointments across 300+ markets, including property, casualty, and specialty commercial lines.
- Personal Lines Insurance Placement of personal insurance coverage — including home, auto, and other personal property — for individuals and households through the agency's carrier appointments.
- Employee Benefits Brokerage Placement and servicing of group employee benefits coverage, including health, welfare, and ancillary benefits, for employer clients.
- Marine Insurance Specialty placement of marine insurance coverage, including watercraft and related exposures, accessed through the agency's 300+ carrier-market relationships.
- HR Consulting Services Human resources advisory and consulting services provided to clients alongside the firm's insurance brokerage offerings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Experience mod reduction from 2.38 to 0.88 for workers compensation clients through risk management and loss control
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wallace Welch & Willingham
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Wallace Welch & Willingham technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wallace Welch & Willingham partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wallace Welch & Willingham competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Brown & Brown: Large national insurance brokerage and risk management firm with deep Florida presence through acquired agencies; offers the same commercial and personal lines brokerage plus broader specialty capabilities that W3 competes with locally.
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage with significant Florida operations and the same multi-line commercial and personal insurance intermediation model; competes for the same mid-market and specialty clients W3 serves.
- Marsh & McLennan Agency: Middle-market arm of Marsh serving the same commercial P&C, employee benefits, and private client segments as W3, with significantly more resources and geographic reach.
Direct peers
- Hub International: Mid-to-large independent insurance brokerage operating a multi-carrier retail agency model with commercial, personal, and benefits lines—most directly comparable to W3 in size, structure, and product mix.
- AssurePartners: PE-backed national insurance brokerage consolidator with strong Florida presence; closest comparable in size and regional focus, actively acquiring agencies of W3's scale.
- Insurance Office of America: Florida-headquartered independent insurance agency with similar commercial/personal/benefits mix and similar mid-market client focus; a direct regional competitor in the Tampa Bay market.
- Higginbotham: Texas-based but nationally expanding independent insurance and HR consulting firm with the same commercial lines + employee benefits + HR services combination; same growth-via-roll-up model.
- Leavitt Group: Family-owned independent insurance agency network with similar multi-state expansion strategy and commercial/personal lines mix; comparable in scale and decentralized regional structure.
- Baldwin Risk Partners: Insurance distribution platform focused on partnering with and acquiring high-performing independent agencies; highly comparable on size, Southeast U.S. footprint, and acquisition-driven growth thesis.
- RPS (Risk Placement Services): Specialty wholesale and retail insurance brokerage with strong Florida presence; comparable in providing access to specialty/E&S markets across the same commercial lines.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wallace Welch & Willingham social profiles
Digital presenceWallace Welch & Willingham financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wallace Welch & Willingham leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Wallace Welch & Willingham funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wallace Welch & Willingham M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wallace Welch & Willingham
What does Wallace Welch & Willingham do?
Wallace Welch & Willingham is an independent insurance agency that places commercial insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits, and marine insurance coverage on behalf of clients, and supplements those brokerage services with HR consulting. The firm represents multiple insurance carriers and serves more than 12,000 clients across 300+ markets, primarily through its Florida offices in St. Petersburg and Sarasota.
Is Wallace Welch & Willingham a public or private company?
Wallace Welch & Willingham is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Wallace Welch & Willingham founded?
Wallace Welch & Willingham was founded in 1927. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wallace Welch & Willingham based?
Wallace Welch & Willingham is headquartered in St. Petersburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wallace Welch & Willingham make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Insurance Commissions - Commercial Lines are the primary driver. The others are insurance Commissions - Personal Lines, employee Benefits Consulting and HR Consulting Services.
Who are Wallace Welch & Willingham's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brown & Brown, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and Marsh & McLennan Agency. Direct peers are Hub International, AssurePartners, Insurance Office of America, Higginbotham, Leavitt Group, Baldwin Risk Partners and RPS (Risk Placement Services).
Does Wallace Welch & Willingham have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wallace Welch & Willingham.
What industry is Wallace Welch & Willingham in?
Wallace Welch & Willingham's product category is Independent Insurance Agency (Commercial and Personal Lines Brokerage). Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEADAJ, Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines), with a secondary code of FSAJAKAE, Marine & Aviation Insurance. Its NAICS code is 52421 and its SIC code is 6411.