Pearl Insurance

What Pearl Insurance does

Pearl Insurance is a US insurance brokerage and program administrator headquartered in Peoria Heights, Illinois, founded in 1954 by Jack Pearl and operating today as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Risk Strategies/One80 Intermediaries following a 2022 acquisition. The company designs, underwrites, administers, and distributes insurance products with a core focus on professional liability (errors and omissions) coverage for niche professional segments including accountants, lawyers, real estate agents, engineers, orthodontists, and garage/automotive service owners. Beyond professional liability, Pearl offers personal lines (auto, home, belongings, liability), commercial insurance shopped across multiple top-rated carriers, and tailored insurance programs for associations, unions, and franchisors—exemplified by its Real Estate ProtectionPlus E&O product endorsed by 21 state and local associations and 4 national franchisors.

The company's technology stack centers on a SOC 2 Type II certified platform with state-specific online quoting portals for individual professions (e.g., realestateapply.pearlinsurance.com, accountants.pearlinsurance.com) and dedicated broker/agent portals. Pearl acts as a managing general agent/program administrator, sourcing coverage from multiple A-rated carriers—most notably a 20+ year relationship with AXA XL (A+ AM Best) and a relationship with CNA dating to 1957—and bundles carrier access with proprietary policy features such as Innocent Accountant Protection, Lost Earnings Coverage up to $600/day, Extended Reporting Period options, and Fair Housing discrimination claims defense.

Commercially, Pearl distributes through a hybrid model combining direct digital self-serve quoting, inside sales support, an independent agent/broker network, and affinity partnerships, generating revenue primarily through insurance premiums (subscription/recurring annual billing cycles) and program administration/management fees. The firm is licensed and operates across all 50 US states, employs 101–250 people across its Peoria Heights headquarters and Albany, NY office, and maintains a 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating alongside dozens of Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA) awards.

Name

Pearl Insurance

Legal name

Pearl Insurance

Website

https://pearlinsurance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pearl Insurance is a Peoria Heights, Illinois-based insurance brokerage and program administrator, founded in 1954 and now a subsidiary of Risk Strategies/One80 Intermediaries, specializing in professional liability and commercial insurance for accountants, real estate professionals, lawyers, engineers, and other niche segments across all 50 US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Liability Insurance

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Other Insurance Related Activities (52429)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Insurance Carriers, Nec (6399)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services (FSAEADAK)

Keywords

• Professional liability insurance
• Errors and omissions coverage
• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Association insurance programs
• Personal insurance coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premiums: Pearl Insurance earns revenue by underwriting and administering insurance policies. The company acts as a managing general agent/program administrator, shopping coverage from multiple top-rated carriers to find appropriate coverage for clients. Premium revenue is generated through ongoing policy renewals with annual or multi-year billing cycles.
2. Insurance Program Administration: Pearl designs, administers, and markets insurance programs for organizations and associations, earning fees for program management and administration services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pearl Insurance is an insurance brokerage and managing general agent (MGA) that designs, administers, and markets specialized insurance programs. The company primarily underwrites and distributes professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance for niche professional segments including accountants, lawyers, real estate agents, engineers, orthodontists, and garage/automotive owners, while also offering personal and commercial insurance lines and tailored programs for associations and unions. Pearl shops coverage across multiple top-rated carriers (including AXA XL and CNA) and serves all 50 U.S. states.

Product overview

Pearl Insurance is an insurance brokerage and program administrator offering a portfolio of professional liability and commercial insurance products. The core offering centers on Professional Liability Insurance (errors and omissions coverage) available for multiple professional segments including accountants (Accountants Professional Liability Insurance), real estate professionals (Real Estate ProtectionPlus E&O), lawyers (Legal Malpractice Insurance), engineers, garage/automotive vendors, and orthodontists. Beyond professional liability, the company provides Personal Insurance (auto, home, belongings, personal liability), Commercial Insurance, and specialized Associations & Unions programs. The product architecture follows a multi-line insurance brokerage model, where the same distribution infrastructure and carrier relationships serve multiple product lines, with specialized branded products (like Real Estate ProtectionPlus and Accountants Professional Liability) developed for specific affinity groups. The company operates as a subsidiary of Risk Strategies/One80 Intermediaries, having been acquired in 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Real Estate ProtectionPlus: E&O insurance coverage specifically designed for real estate professionals and REALTORS, endorsed by 21 state and local associations and 4 national franchisors. Provides comprehensive coverage including agent-owned residential property transactions, subpoena assistance, lockbox and open house coverage, and fair housing discrimination claims.

Products and services

• Professional Liability Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• Average cost of settling real estate claims is around $54,000 (2025, per AXA XL data)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Risk Strategies/One80 IntermediariescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Pearl Insurance became a subsidiary of Risk Strategies/One80 Intermediaries in 2022, reflecting its evolution from a visionary idea to a major insurance organization. This strategic partnership brought enhanced stability, expanded offerings, and access to a significant portfolio of specialized products, services, and distribution.
• Carroll Holdings Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Partnered with Carroll Holdings Inc. in 2005 to form Pearl Carroll & Associates, expanding distribution capabilities.
• AXA XLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004AXA XL is Pearl Insurance's primary carrier partner for professional liability insurance, rated A+ (Superior) on AM Best. This 20+ year partnership provides accountants and other professionals with comprehensive professional liability protection. AXA XL has been partnering with Pearl for 20 years to provide the best professional liability protection.
• CNA InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1957CNA has been Pearl Insurance's partner since 1957, one of the longest-standing carrier relationships in the industry. Pearl offers CNA-backed professional liability coverage, particularly for lawyers with step rating programs.
• 21 State and Local Real Estate AssociationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPearl Insurance's Real Estate ProtectionPlus E&O coverage is endorsed by 21 state and local associations, providing direct access to their member bases for distribution of insurance products.
• 4 National FranchisorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFour national franchisors have endorsed Pearl Insurance's Real Estate ProtectionPlus E&O coverage, providing distribution through their franchise networks.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NSM Insurance Group: Specialty MGA and program administrator designing, underwriting, and managing insurance programs across multiple verticals including professional liability. Directly comparable to Pearl's program administration business model.
• Risk Placement Services (RPS): One of the largest US specialty wholesale brokers and MGAs, distributing professional and commercial E&O across multiple verticals through a retail agent network. Closely comparable to Pearl's specialty distribution and program administration model.
• Beazley: Specialist insurer with significant professional liability and specialty lines business for professional services firms. Comparable specialty insurance focus and professional services customer base.
• Burns & Wilcox: Specialty wholesale insurance broker distributing professional liability, commercial, and personal lines through a national network of retail agents. Similar specialty distribution focus and product breadth.
• Amwins: Largest US specialty wholesale insurance distributor with substantial MGA operations spanning professional liability and commercial lines. Comparable specialty distribution model and broker-to-carrier intermediary role.
• CRC Insurance Services: Wholesale broker and MGA distributing specialty commercial and professional liability lines. Directly comparable intermediary model serving retail agents with multi-carrier access.
• Hiscox: Specialty insurer offering professional liability and E&O coverage to small businesses and professionals across multiple professions. Directly comparable specialty E&O product focus and SMB customer base.

Broad incumbents

• The Hartford: Large financial services and insurance company with significant small commercial and professional liability offerings. Broader incumbent competing in many of the same professional verticals Pearl serves.
• CNA Financial: Major commercial property/casualty carrier and Pearl's carrier partner since 1957. CNA also writes professional liability directly through its own distribution, competing with Pearl's programs at a much larger scale.
• AXA XL: Pearl's primary carrier partner for accountants professional liability (20+ years, A+ AM Best). AXA XL also writes specialty professional liability directly through its own underwriting and distribution, making it a broader incumbent in Pearl's verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pearlinsurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pearl-insurance
• Instagraminstagram.com/pearlinsurance
• Xx.com/pearlinsurance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pearl Insurance