Risk Placement Services

What Risk Placement Services does

Risk Placement Services, Inc. (RPS) is the U.S. wholesale brokerage and managing general agency division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), founded in 1997 and headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. RPS distributes specialty insurance products, excess and surplus lines coverage, and program business exclusively through retail insurance agents and brokers across the United States, serving as the intermediated layer that places risks admitted-market carriers will not write direct. The company employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people and operates across seventeen or more industry verticals including Agriculture, Aviation, Construction and Environmental, Education, Energy, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, Marine, Professional, Public Entity, Real Estate, Religious, Technology, Transportation, Surety Bonds, and Personal Lines.

The product set spans admitted small commercial lines, casualty, commercial auto, contractors pollution, cyber liability, garage, habitational, hospitality, management liability, personal lines, product recall, professional liability, property, workers' compensation, transportation, and specialty programs. Beyond the standard product menu, RPS operates a proprietary Signature Programs platform of exclusive specialized programs — including California Workers' Compensation variants, Michigan self-insurance funds, Contractors Elite, Crane and Rigging, Inland Marine, public entity programs, PEO and Temporary Staffing, Podiatry Professional Liability, Primary Property, Rental Equipment, Scaffolding Access, Social Services, and Sports Insurance Programs — that represent binding-authority arrangements competitors must negotiate individually. Operational technology centers on a proprietary data-driven platform combining client-specific risk analysis with benchmarking data, including a Cyber Risk Modeling and Scenario Analysis tool, a Policy Language Comparison tool, and digital customer-facing platforms myRPS Portal and the Quote and Pay platform that enable quoting, payment, claims filing, and policy management online.

RPS generates revenue primarily through commissions paid by insurance carriers on placed policies, with supplementary streams from supplemental and contingent commissions tied to carrier profitability and volume, administrative and service fees for placement, billing, and consulting, interest on premiums held before remittance, and fees from RPS Premium Finance for financed premium arrangements. The growth model has been materially acquisition-driven: in the most recent 24 months alone RPS closed acquisitions of S Philips Surety and Insurance Services (March 2026, California surety), McKee Risk Management (May 2026, Pennsylvania program administration), Med James, Inc. (July 2026, Kansas MGA), CCI Surety (May 2024, Minnesota MGU), and prior periods added Remco Insurance Agencies, Evergreen Insurance Managers, SeaCoast Underwriters, RHP General Agency, and others. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of AJG, RPS's individual financial figures are not separately disclosed; AJG as parent reported approximately $6.2 billion in adjusted EBITDAC, providing the carrier relationship and capital base that anchors RPS's distribution moat.

Name

Risk Placement Services

Legal name

Risk Placement Services, Inc.

Website

https://rpsins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Risk Placement Services is the U.S. wholesale insurance brokerage and managing general agency division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., distributing specialty, excess and surplus lines, and program business exclusively through retail insurance agents and brokers across multiple industry verticals nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services (FSAEADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wholesale Insurance Brokerage (Excess & Surplus Lines) (FSAEADAD)

Keywords

• Wholesale insurance brokerage
• Managing general agency
• Excess and surplus lines
• Specialty insurance programs
• Surety bond underwriting

Headquarters

HQ city

Rolling Meadows

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Insurance Commissions: Primary revenue stream from commissions paid by insurance companies for placing and servicing insurance policies. RPS receives commissions for both new policy placements and ongoing policy servicing.
2. Fees from Insurance Companies or Insureds: Additional fees paid by insurance companies or insureds for various services rendered in the insurance placement and administration process.
3. Interest and Investment Income: Interest or investment income earned on insurance premiums held before remittance to insurance companies.
4. Supplemental Commissions: Profit-sharing, contingent commissions, or incentive commissions based on profitability, premium volume and/or growth with a carrier. These are additional payments tied to performance metrics.
5. Administrative and Service Fees: Fees for services provided to insurance companies as part of the placement process, including premium billing, collection, remittance and credit control, policy document compilation, record retention, and consulting and data analytic services.
6. Premium Financing Fees: Fees earned when RPS is involved in financing insurance policies for clients through RPS Premium Finance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Risk Placement Services is a wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent (MGA)/underwriting manager that places specialty, excess and surplus lines, and program business on behalf of retail insurance agents and brokers. The company underwrites and administers exclusive signature programs for niche commercial risks, issues surety bonds, and supports distribution through the myRPS portal and a quote/pay/claim digital platform. RPS serves as the U.S. wholesale brokerage division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG) and operates across 16+ industry verticals.

Product overview

Risk Placement Services (RPS) is a wholesale insurance broker and risk management company operating as a division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products across commercial and personal lines, organized into core insurance products (including Casualty, Commercial Auto, Property, Workers' Compensation, Cyber, Management Liability, Professional Liability, and Specialty lines) and a robust RPS Programs/Signature Programs platform featuring exclusive specialized programs for niche risks including California Workers' Compensation programs, Michigan self-insurance funds, public entity coverage, contractors programs, and sports/recreation insurance. RPS also provides digital platforms including myRPS Portal for account management and a Quote & Pay platform for online quoting, payments, and claims filing. The company has made strategic acquisitions including CCI Surety (surety bonds), S Philips Surety (West Coast surety), McKee Risk Management (program administration), and Med James (MGA/wholesale broker) to expand its product capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CCI Surety: Managing general underwriter specializing in wholesale contract and commercial surety bonds, acquired by RPS in May 2024.

Products and services

• Admitted Small Commercial Lines Insurance Admitted insurance products for small commercial risks.
• Allied Healthcare Insurance Insurance coverage for allied healthcare operators including outpatient clinics, home health agencies, therapy providers, pharmacies, and diagnostic centers.
• Artisan Contractors Insurance Insurance coverage designed for artisan contractors.
• Casualty Insurance Casualty insurance products for various commercial risks.
• Commercial Auto Insurance Commercial automobile insurance coverage for business vehicles.
• Contractors Pollution Insurance Pollution liability coverage for contractors.
• Cyber Liability Insurance Cyber liability coverage providing protection against data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cyber threats. Includes coverage for AI-assisted attacks, social engineering scams, and business interruption from covered cyber events.
• Employee Benefits Consulting Consulting services for employee benefits programs.
• Garage Insurance Coverage for auto dealerships, repair shops, and related businesses including Garage Dealers/Service Risks, Garage Liability, Garagekeepers (GKLL), Dealers Open Lot, Property Coverages, and Scheduled Autos.
• Habitational Insurance Insurance coverage for habitational properties.
• Hospitality Insurance Property and liability coverage for hospitality businesses including bed and breakfasts and businesses that sell and serve alcohol.
• Management Liability Insurance Coverage including Directors and Officers Liability, Employment Practices Liability, and Management & Professional Liability for executives and business owners.
• Personal Lines Insurance Personal insurance products including Admitted Personal Lines, Affluent Personal Lines, Antique Auto & Classic Car, Dwelling, Homeowners, Mobile & Manufactured Home, Personal Lines Umbrella, and Recreational Vehicles.
• Product Recall Insurance Insurance coverage for product recall events.
• Professional Liability Insurance Professional liability coverage including Agropro, Architects & Engineers, Errors & Omissions, and Mortgage Brokers Insurance.
• Property Insurance Property coverage including Flood Insurance, standard Property Insurance, and Wind Deductible Buybacks.
• RPS Signature Programs Exclusive specialized insurance programs including All Lines Aggregate, California Workers' Compensation (multiple variants), Contractors Elite, Crane & Rigging, Inland Marine, Insurance Solutions for Public Entities, Large Public Entity, Michigan Workers' Compensation funds (multiple), Outdoor Recreation, PEO & Temporary Staffing, Podiatry Professional Liability, Primary Property, Rental Equipment, Scaffolding Access, Social Services, and Sports Insurance Programs.
• Specialty Insurance Programs Specialty coverage for niche industries including Car Dealership & Repair Garage, Design Firms and Professionals, Jewelers Block, Snow Removal, and Wellness Services.
• Surety Bonds Specialty underwriting for standard and non-standard contract and commercial bonds including license and permit bonds, transportation bonds (BMC-84), healthcare bonds, mortgage bonds, court bonds, agriculture bonds, and wage and welfare bonds, underwritten through CCI Surety and S Philips Surety with access to more than 15 leading surety markets.
• Transportation Insurance Programs Transportation coverage including Hired & Non-Owned Auto, Motor Truck Cargo, and Trucking Insurance for hard-to-place transportation clients.
• Workers' Compensation Insurance Workers' compensation coverage and consulting for a broad spectrum of industries.
• myRPS Portal Customer portal for account management, quoting, policy management, and claims processing accessible to appointed retail agents and brokers.
• Quote & Pay Platform Online platform providing Get a Quote, Make a Payment, File a Claim, and RPS Premium Finance services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Surplus lines premiums rose 9.7% through Q3 2025 in the E&S market absorbing complex risks increasingly shunned by admitted carriers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments18 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CCI Surety Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2026RPS acquired CCI Surety Inc., a Minnesota-based managing general underwriter specializing in wholesale contract and commercial surety bonds. CCI Surety operates as part of RPS's surety bond operations under leadership of Jeremy Crawford, president of CCI Surety.
• Med James, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2026RPS acquired Med James, Inc., a managing general agency and wholesale insurance broker based in Overland Park, Kansas. The Med James team continues operating under Jacey Norberg, VP-North Central Region for RPS, expanding the division's regional capabilities.
• McKee Risk ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2026RPS acquired McKee Risk Management, a Pennsylvania-based program administrator specializing in construction, public entity, and property insurance programs. The McKee team operates under RPS's program administration division, bringing specialized underwriting expertise.
• Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026WSIA is the industry association for wholesale and specialty insurance. RPS participates in WSIA activities and its leadership transitions involve representatives from various member firms including RT Specialty, Core Specialty, Amwins Access, and others.
• S Philips Surety & Insurance Services Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026RPS acquired S Philips Surety & Insurance Services Inc., a California-based surety bond provider serving agents and brokers on the West Coast. The acquisition adds approximately five employees and expands RPS's surety market expertise in the western United States under Jeremy Crawford's leadership.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2024RPS is a wholly-owned U.S. wholesale brokerage division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG), a major global insurance brokerage and risk management firm headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. AJG operates in more than 130 countries and provides insurance brokerage, consulting, and risk management services worldwide.
• Remco Insurance AgenciesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2023RPS acquired Remco Insurance Agencies, a Texas-based retail non-standard auto insurance agency operating throughout Texas. This acquisition expanded RPS's capabilities in the non-standard auto segment.
• Evergreen Insurance Managers Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2022RPS acquired Evergreen Insurance Managers Inc., a wholesale insurance broker based in Oregon. The acquisition expanded Gallagher's presence in the Portland market and enhanced growth opportunities in the Pacific Northwest.
• Johnson & Johnson InsuranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPS was ranked alongside Johnson & Johnson Insurance as one of the leading wholesale brokers and MGAs in Insurance Business America's 2026 5-Star Wholesale Brokers and MGAs ranking.
• Brown & RidingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPS was ranked alongside Brown & Riding as one of the leading wholesale brokers and MGAs in Insurance Business America's 2026 5-Star Wholesale Brokers and MGAs ranking.
• Over 15 Leading Surety MarketscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCCI Surety, an RPS company, partners with more than 15 leading surety markets, many offering exclusive specialized programs for various bond types including mortgage, healthcare, MVD, contractor license, court, agriculture, transportation, and wage and welfare bonds.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CRC Group: CRC Group is a leading wholesale insurance broker and MGA operating across specialty commercial lines, with comparable verticals (transportation, construction, healthcare, cyber) and a similar retail-broker-only distribution model. Directly comparable to RPS in size, product scope, and exclusive program strategy.
• Amwins: Amwins is the largest U.S. wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent, with a comparable product portfolio spanning specialty commercial lines, E&S placement, and program administration. It is the most direct competitor to RPS in scale, product breadth, and distribution model (wholesale-only to retail brokers).
• Brown & Riding: Brown & Riding is a national wholesale insurance brokerage and MGU named alongside RPS in Insurance Business America's 2026 5-Star Wholesale Brokers and MGAs ranking. Directly competes with RPS in specialty commercial placement and program administration.
• Burns & Wilcox: Burns & Wilcox is a national wholesale insurance broker and MGA specializing in excess & surplus lines and specialty commercial coverage distributed through retail agents. Comparable to RPS in distribution model and product mix.
• World Insurance Associates: World Insurance Associates operates wholesale and specialty brokerage operations alongside its core retail brokerage, placing complex commercial risks through wholesale and program channels. A comparable mid-market wholesale/distribution peer.
• LoVullo Associates: LoVullo is a wholesale insurance broker and program administrator specializing in niche commercial and personal lines distributed through retail agents. Comparable specialty wholesale model with similar exclusive program focus.
• RT Specialty (Ryan Turner): RT Specialty is the wholesale brokerage and MGA arm of Ryan Specialty, offering specialty commercial lines, E&S placement, and binding authority programs through retail agents. Directly comparable business model and target customers to RPS.
• Trisura Group: Trisura is a specialty insurance group operating as an MGA/program manager across surety, commercial, and specialty lines, comparable to RPS's MGA and Signature Programs franchise. Overlaps directly on the program-administration side of RPS's business.
• Johnson & Johnson Insurance: Johnson & Johnson Insurance is a wholesale insurance broker and MGA named alongside RPS in the 2026 5-Star Wholesale Brokers and MGAs ranking. Directly comparable in wholesale/MGA dual function and retail-broker distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) — parent context: AJG is RPS's parent and a top-3 global insurance brokerage. As a broad incumbent, AJG operates retail brokerage, consulting, and wholesale (RPS) globally, and serves as the structural backdrop — and partial strategic constraint — for RPS's independent competitive positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rpsins
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIARNqTE_QmdKblhJUJf0zQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/RPSINS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/risk-placement-services-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/rps_ins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A12 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Risk Placement Services