WA Group
WA Group is a 100% employee-owned independent insurance and risk management agency founded in 1893, serving individuals, families, small and mid-sized businesses, nonprofits, and farms across southeastern Minnesota and the Twin Cities Metro from offices in Winona, Woodbury, and La Crescent.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1893
- HeadquartersWinona, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What WA Group does
WA Group is a 100% employee-owned, independent insurance and risk management agency headquartered in Winona, Minnesota, operating continuously since 1893. The firm places personal, commercial, and employee benefits coverage through licensed advisors in three Minnesota offices — Winona (174 Center St.), Woodbury (7616 Currell Blvd.), and La Crescent (205 N. Chestnut St.) — serving individuals, families, small and mid-sized businesses, nonprofits, and agricultural operations across southeastern Minnesota and the Twin Cities Metro.
The agency's product portfolio spans Business Insurance (commercial property, general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, cyber liability), Employee Benefits (health, dental, vision, disability, life, voluntary benefits), Personal Insurance (home, auto, motorcycle, RV, watercraft), and Medicare Plans (supplements, Advantage, Part D). Beyond brokerage, WA Group delivers the VAST Prevent First risk-management methodology and a digital services bundle comprising a client portal, OSHA Recordkeeping (OSHAlogs), Automated Employee Safety Training (AutomateSafety), and LightDuty Works for injury and return-to-work management. Underlying technology is conventional agency infrastructure — no proprietary AI/ML, custom models, or patented systems are disclosed.
Revenue is generated as recurring commissions on placed policies, billed annually or monthly, with pricing determined by carrier underwriting on a quote-by-quote basis. Distribution is sales-led and consultative: licensed risk advisors conduct in-person and phone-based coverage reviews, reinforced by chamber-of-commerce referral partnerships, an educational 34-page blog, and social media presence on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. Headcount sits in the 101-250 employee band, with at least three named advisors holding professional credentials (CPCU, CRM) and individual specialists dedicated to Medicare and executive risk lines.
WA Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WA Group
- Legal name
- WA Group
- Website
- https://walivebig.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1893
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- WA Group is a 100% employee-owned independent insurance and risk management agency founded in 1893, serving individuals, families, small and mid-sized businesses, nonprofits, and farms across southeastern Minnesota and the Twin Cities Metro from offices in Winona, Woodbury, and La Crescent.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WA Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insurance Brokerage Services
- NAICS
- Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Group Term Life Insurance (FSAIAAAJ)
Keywords
Where WA Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winona
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
WA Group 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 Agency Commissions: WA Group operates as an independent insurance agency earning commissions from insurance carriers for placing personal insurance (home, auto, health), business insurance, and employee benefits coverage for clients. Revenue is recurring in nature as insurance policies renew annually.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Quote-based insurance premiums tailored to individual risk profiles |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
WA Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WA Group is an independent insurance agency that places personal insurance (home, auto, motorcycle, RV, watercraft, health, life), business insurance (commercial property, general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, cyber liability), employee benefits, and Medicare plans through carrier partnerships. Revenue is earned as commissions from carriers, with risk management advisory delivered via the VAST Prevent First Approach and supported by a client portal plus OSHA/safety/light duty tools.
Product overview
WA Group is a Minnesota-based insurance agency founded in 1893, offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance and risk management products. The core offerings span three main categories: Business Insurance (commercial property, liability, workers' comp, cyber liability, and specialized coverages), Employee Benefits (health, dental, vision, disability, life, and voluntary benefits), and Personal Insurance (home, auto, health, Medicare, and specialty coverage). The agency also provides Medicare plans including supplements, Advantage plans, and Part D prescription coverage. Supporting the core insurance products are risk management services including the VAST Prevent First Approach. Digital client services include a client portal for policy management, OSHA recordkeeping software, automated employee safety training, and light duty management tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Red Dot Difference: The company's client service philosophy and approach.
Products and services
- Business Insurance
Companies that use WA Group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
WA Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
WA Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WA Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- M3 Insurance: Madison, Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency of similar mid-size with multi-line commercial, personal, and employee benefits practices. Closest comparable peer in terms of scale, ownership structure (employee-influenced), and Upper Midwest regional focus.
- TrueNorth Companies: Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based independent firm offering insurance, financial, and HR advisory services. Comparable multi-line agency model targeting similar small/mid-market customers in the Upper Midwest.
Broad incumbents
- Brown & Brown: Public national insurance brokerage (NYSE: BRO) with a broad multi-line book and significant commercial and employee benefits practice. Directly competes for mid-market accounts that WA Group targets but operates at materially larger scale.
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage and risk management firm (NYSE: AJG) with deep middle-market and employee benefits capabilities. Larger competitor that competes head-on with WA Group's commercial and benefits practices.
- Leavitt Group: Western US-based multi-line independent insurance agency with similar family/employee-influenced heritage, multi-line product set, and risk management services. Comparable in operating model, but materially larger and in different geography.
- IMA Financial Group: Denver-based multi-line insurance brokerage and risk management firm with commercial and employee benefits practices. Comparable product mix to WA Group but operates across many more states at larger scale.
- Marsh McLennan: Global insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting firm (NYSE: MMC) whose Marsh McLennan Agency arm competes directly for middle-market commercial and benefits business in the Upper Midwest. Significantly larger and resource-rich incumbent competitor.
- HUB International: North American insurance brokerage with a sizable middle-market commercial and personal lines practice. PE-backed platform that competes for the same small/mid-market accounts as WA Group, with deeper resources for acquisition-driven growth.
- AssuredPartners: National insurance brokerage backed by GTCR pursuing roll-up acquisitions of independent agencies. Competes with WA Group for mid-market commercial clients and represents an active acquirer of regional agencies like WA Group.
Emerging players
- SelectQuote: Digital-first insurance platform headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with material overlap in the Medicare and life insurance segments WA Group serves. Different distribution model (online/call center) but directly competing for the same end consumer in WA Group's Medicare practice.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WA Group social profiles
Digital presenceWA Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WA Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
WA Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WA Group 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 WA Group
What does WA Group do?
WA Group is an independent insurance agency that places personal insurance (home, auto, motorcycle, RV, watercraft, health, life), business insurance (commercial property, general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, cyber liability), employee benefits, and Medicare plans through carrier partnerships. Revenue is earned as commissions from carriers, with risk management advisory delivered via the VAST Prevent First Approach and supported by a client portal plus OSHA/safety/light duty tools.
Is WA Group a public or private company?
WA Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was WA Group founded?
WA Group was founded in 1893. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is WA Group based?
WA Group is headquartered in Winona, United States, in the North America region.
How does WA Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: insurance Agency Commissions.
Who are WA Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are M3 Insurance and TrueNorth Companies. Broad incumbents are Brown & Brown, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Leavitt Group, IMA Financial Group, Marsh McLennan, HUB International and AssuredPartners. SelectQuote is listed as an emerging player.
Does WA Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for WA Group.
What industry is WA Group in?
WA Group's product category is Insurance Brokerage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAIAAAJ, Group Term Life Insurance. Its NAICS code is 524 and its SIC code is 6411.