Pearl Insurance
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersPeoria Heights, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Pearl Insurance firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Pearl Insurance industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Pearl Insurance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Peoria Heights
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Pearl Insurance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- Insurance Program Administration: Pearl designs, administers, and markets insurance programs for organizations and associations, earning fees for program management and administration services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Accountants Professional Liability Insurance |
| Subscription | Annual | Real Estate ProtectionPlus E&O Insurance |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Liability Insurance |
| Subscription | Annual | Commercial Insurance |
| Subscription | Annual | Personal Insurance |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Pearl Insurance product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Pearl Insurance
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Pearl Insurance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pearl Insurance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Risk Strategies/One80 IntermediariescorePearl 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.minorPartnered with Carroll Holdings Inc. in 2005 to form Pearl Carroll & Associates, expanding distribution capabilities.
- AXA XLcoreAXA 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 InsurancecoreCNA 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 AssociationscorePearl 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 FranchisorscoreFour 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
Pearl Insurance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Pearl Insurance social profiles
Digital presencePearl Insurance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Pearl Insurance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pearl Insurance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Pearl Insurance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pearl Insurance 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 Pearl Insurance
What does Pearl Insurance do?
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.
Is Pearl Insurance a public or private company?
Pearl Insurance is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Pearl Insurance founded?
Pearl Insurance was founded in 1954. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pearl Insurance based?
Pearl Insurance is headquartered in Peoria Heights, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pearl Insurance make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Insurance Premiums are the primary driver. The others are insurance Program Administration.
Who are Pearl Insurance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NSM Insurance Group, Risk Placement Services (RPS), Beazley, Burns & Wilcox, Amwins, CRC Insurance Services and Hiscox. Broad incumbents are The Hartford, CNA Financial and AXA XL.
Does Pearl Insurance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pearl Insurance.
What industry is Pearl Insurance in?
Pearl Insurance's product category is Professional Liability Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEADAK, Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services. Its NAICS code is 524210 and its SIC code is 6411.