The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

What The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers does

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit trade association founded in 1913 that serves as the premier convening body for commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediaries. Its membership collectively places approximately 85 percent of U.S. property and casualty insurance premiums, with more than 20 percent of members headquartered internationally, including recent additions spanning Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Europe. The Council operates a tiered membership and Council Partners program (Diamond, Platinum, Gold) that connects leading brokerages, carriers, and select industry vendors such as AIG, Allianz Commercial, Applied Systems, The Hartford, Swiss Re, FM Global, Lloyd's, CRC Group, Aon, Marsh, Lockton, and McKinsey.

The Council's product surface is built around four pillars: annual flagship events (Insurance Leadership Forum with 1,200+ attendees, Operations Leadership Forum, Legislative Summit, Employee Benefits Leadership Forum), market intelligence publications (quarterly P&C Market Survey, employee benefits surveys with McKinsey), professional development programs (PEBC certification co-developed with The Institutes, It's All About Risk onboarding, Broker Smackdown leadership simulation, Insurance Professional School, and working groups across COO/HR/CFO/CIO/Legal/Claims/Marketing functions), and advocacy infrastructure (CouncilPAC, federal and state legislative trackers, tort reform and legal system abuse resource hub). The technology platform is a web-based membership and content system at ciab.com, with Leader's Edge magazine as the primary editorial vehicle.

Revenue is generated through three core streams: annual membership dues (subscription, non-refundable, quote-based by firm size and type), event registration fees for the four major forums, and tiered corporate partner sponsorship payments. A 27-year exclusive premium financing partnership with FIRST Insurance Funding (since 1998) provides a long-running affiliate revenue stream under the COUNCIL PREFI brand. The Council does not allow refunds on membership dues, offers credit or overpayment refunds within 30 days, and structures event cancellations with processing charges. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors composed of member firm executives, with a leadership succession plan in place since 2023.

Name

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

Legal name

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

Website

https://ciab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) is a 1913-founded non-profit trade association in Washington, D.C., serving leading commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediaries whose members place 85% of U.S. property and casualty premiums through events, advocacy, professional development, and market intelligence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Industry Trade Association

NAICS

All Other Insurance Related Activities (524298)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Reinsurance Brokerage (FSAEADAE)

Keywords

• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Industry trade association
• Insurance market intelligence
• Employee benefits consulting
• Professional development certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediary firms. The Council does not allow refunds of membership dues.
2. Event Registration: Registration fees for major industry events including Insurance Leadership Forum (ILF), Operations Leadership Forum (OLF), Legislative Summit, and Employee Benefits Leadership Forum (EBLF).
3. Council Partners Program: Tiered corporate partnership program with Diamond, Platinum, and Gold tiers. Partners include brokers, insurers, and select industry vendors who invest in Council initiatives.
4. Premium Financing Partnership: Exclusive partnership with FIRST Insurance Funding as premium financing partner since 1998.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers is a membership-based trade association that provides commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediary firms with industry events (Insurance Leadership Forum, Operations Leadership Forum, Legislative Summit, Employee Benefits Leadership Forum), quarterly market intelligence (P&C Market Survey), advocacy and government affairs resources, professional development programs (PEBC designation, It's All About Risk, Broker Smackdown, Working Groups), and a tiered corporate sponsorship program.

Product overview

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers operates as an industry association providing a platform of interconnected programs, events, publications, and professional development resources for commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediaries. The core offerings include annual conferences (Insurance Leadership Forum, Operations Leadership Forum, Legislative Summit), market intelligence publications (quarterly P&C Market Surveys), content platforms (Leader's Edge Magazine), advocacy programs (CouncilPAC, legislative resources), and professional development offerings (PEBC certification, It's All About Risk onboarding, Broker Smackdown, Working Groups). The organization serves as a membership-based community with a tiered partner sponsorship program connecting brokers with carriers and industry vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leader's Edge: Award-winning content platform covering legal and legislative issues, international business and regulation, management trends and best practices, and technology. Established in 2004.
• CouncilPAC
• The Council Foundation

Products and services

• Insurance Leadership Forum (ILF) The premier annual marketplace meeting for top-tier broker executives in the commercial property and casualty industry, gathering more than 1,200 attendees for relationship-building, business strategy, market intelligence, and thought leadership.
• Operations Leadership Forum (OLF) Annual forum gathering C-suite brokerage executives and departmental leaders for professional development, brokerage-focused breakout sessions, working group meetings, and social events on topics such as M&A, AI, and data security.
• Legislative Summit Annual legislative fly-in connecting insurance brokerage leaders with key members of Congress, with sessions on healthcare reform, tax policy, and financial services regulation.
• P&C Market Survey (Quarterly) Quarterly commercial property and casualty market survey tracking premium pricing trends, capacity conditions, and market dynamics across major commercial lines and account sizes. Q1 2026 showed soft market conditions with an average premium decrease of -1.2% across all account sizes.
• Leader's Edge Magazine Award-winning editorial content platform established in 2004 covering legal and legislative issues, international business and regulation, management trends, best practices, and technology in the commercial insurance and employee benefits industry.
• PEBC (Professional Employee Benefits Consultant) Designation Early-career professional certification developed jointly with The Institutes, providing foundational knowledge of employee benefits coverage, application, and plan design through hybrid and on-demand learning formats. Targets early-career employee benefits professionals with less than two years of experience.
• It's All About Risk Self-paced online onboarding tool for commercial insurance brokerage firms that equips new employees with fundamental industry knowledge, covering key insurance concepts and the roles of various industry players.
• Broker Smackdown Leadership development program for emerging leaders in which top client-facing colleagues run a computer-simulated brokerage to gain a broader understanding of how the brokerage business works.
• Insurance Professional School for Property/Casualty Early-career talent program providing foundational knowledge of commercial coverage application and effective management of client risk for new commercial insurance brokerage professionals.
• Working Groups Ongoing peer working groups for senior functional leaders across member firms, covering COO, HR, CFO, CIO, Legal Counsel, Marketing & Communications, and Claims & Risk Management functions, for sharing knowledge and addressing emerging trends.
• Council Partners Program Annual tiered corporate partnership program (Diamond, Platinum, Gold) for brokers, insurers, and select industry vendors investing in Council initiatives, providing market access and collaboration opportunities with member brokerages.
• CouncilPAC Political action committee enabling member firms and their employees to engage in legislative advocacy and fundraising on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures on insurance brokerage industry issues.
• FIRST Insurance Funding (COUNCIL PREFI®) Premium Financing Exclusive premium financing partnership with FIRST Insurance Funding since 1998, providing financial solutions to broker members including premium finance, agency lending, wealth management, and operational support.
• State Tort Reform & Legal System Abuse Resource Hub Resource hub providing research, advocacy tools, communications templates, and policy updates on tort reform, legal system abuse, social inflation, and litigation trends impacting businesses and insurance markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85 percent of U.S. P&C premiums placed by member firms
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ACORDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026ACORD launched the ACORD Inter-Association Advisory Council, a coalition of major North American P&C insurance associations including the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. The council focuses on data stewardship, AI governance, data rights consistency, and data sovereignty.
• The InstitutescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers and The Institutes expanded their partnership to launch the Professional Employee Benefits Consultant (PEBC) designation, a new professional certification for early-career employee benefits professionals. The two organizations collectively advise on approximately two-thirds of all employer-sponsored health plans in the US.
• FIRST Insurance FundingflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1998FIRST Insurance Funding has been the exclusive premium financing partner of The Council since 1998. FIRST provides total financial solutions to broker members including premium finance, agency lending, wealth management, and operational challenges. FIRST has no ownership interest in any agency or brokerage firms.
• AIGcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner in the Council Partners program
• Allianz CommercialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner in the Council Partners program
• Applied SystemscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner in the Council Partners program
• The HartfordcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner in the Council Partners program
• Swiss RecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Partner in the Council Partners program
• FM GlobalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Partner in the Council Partners program
• Lloyd'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Partner in the Council Partners program
• CRC GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Partner in the Council Partners program
• AoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner in the Council Partners program
• MarshcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner in the Council Partners program
• LocktoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner in the Council Partners program
• McKinsey & CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Partner in the Council Partners program. The Council and McKinsey partnered on prescription drug benefits survey and healthcare cost containment survey.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big "I"): The largest U.S. trade association for independent insurance agents and brokers. Directly comparable as a peer membership body serving U.S. insurance intermediaries with advocacy, education, and market intelligence, though its focus skews more toward independent agents rather than the large commercial brokers that dominate CIAB's roster.
• Professional Insurance Agents (PIA): A national trade association for independent insurance agents and brokers, offering advocacy, education, and carrier-market access programs. Comparable to CIAB in mission and member services, with a stronger orientation toward small-to-mid-market agents.
• National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU): Trade association representing health insurance agents, brokers, and benefits professionals. Closely comparable to CIAB on the employee benefits side of its remit, with overlapping concerns around health policy advocacy, professional development, and member events.
• Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I): Industry-supported source of insurance information, research, and public education. Comparable to CIAB's market intelligence and content (Leader's Edge, P&C Market Survey) function, though Triple-I is funded by carriers and serves a broader public-facing communications role rather than direct broker membership.

Regional players

• British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA): The leading U.K. trade association for insurance brokers, providing representation, regulation engagement, and member services. Highly comparable in mission and operating model to CIAB, but geographically focused on the U.K. market and not a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• American Insurance Association (AIA): National trade association for U.S. property-casualty insurance companies. Comparable as a Washington, D.C.-based P&C advocacy body, but represents carriers rather than brokers, placing it on the opposite side of the distribution chain from CIAB's members.

Others

• Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS): Global trade association for risk management and insurance buyers (corporate risk managers), not brokers. Adjacent to CIAB's world because RIMS members sit on the customer side of the brokers CIAB represents, making the two complementary rather than competitive.
• National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL): U.S. legislative body of state lawmakers focused on insurance regulation and policy. Not a peer association, but the primary legislative counterpart that CIAB engages with via its Legislative Summit and CouncilPAC advocacy work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-council-of-insurance-agents-&-brokers
• Xx.com/TheCIAB
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCouncilofInsuranceAgentsandBrokers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers