Dissinger Reed

What Dissinger Reed does

Dissinger Reed, now operating as a division of Hub International Limited, is a specialized insurance brokerage focused exclusively on the athletic insurance needs of U.S. collegiate athletic departments and state high school associations. The firm originated from Ed Dissinger's 1982 consulting work in higher education and interscholastic insurance, was incorporated as Dissinger Insurance Services in 2001, and was rebranded Dissinger Reed in 2009 after Christian Reed purchased the agency. The firm serves more than 250 colleges and universities, 26 State Athletic Associations, and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), positioning itself as the largest single-niche broker in non-professional athletic insurance in the United States.

The product portfolio spans secondary/excess athletic insurance, primary student-athlete coverage options, catastrophic accident insurance, general and excess liability, Directors & Officers liability, event cancellation insurance, tournament/post-season gap coverage, basic school accident insurance, officials' coverage, camp and clinic programs, sports teams and leagues coverage, and the trademarked HeadStrong® concussion insurance program ($1.50 per athlete, 3,500-participant minimum) and Coverage Backer™ automated primary insurance verification service ($0.75 per verification, 24–48 hour turnaround). Distribution is direct enterprise field sales supported by toll-free phone outreach, online quote forms, and an NFHS channel partnership that distributes officials, coaches, music, and speech/debate/theatre coverage through state-level membership dues. Adjacent student-athlete wellness offerings include a multi-university partnership with Talkspace for online mental health services and an athletic trainer professional liability program via CM&F Group.

Revenue is generated primarily through broker commissions on placed premiums across the multi-line portfolio, supplemented by unit-priced program fees on HeadStrong, usage-based fees on Coverage Backer verifications, and subscription premiums on professional liability products. Pricing is largely quote-based, reflecting institution size, claims history, and coverage scope. The firm is privately held post-acquisition by Hub International, employs 11–50 staff across its Kansas City headquarters and an Overland Park office, and operates exclusively in the United States with no global footprint.

Name

Dissinger Reed

Legal name

Dissinger Reed

Website

https://dissingerreed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dissinger Reed is a U.S. insurance brokerage, now a division of Hub International, that places athletic insurance for more than 250 colleges and universities, 26 State Athletic Associations, and the National Federation of State High School Associations, with proprietary products including the HeadStrong concussion program and Coverage Backer verification service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athletic Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Accident Medical Expense Insurance (Supplemental Accident) (FSAIALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Cancellation & Contingency (FSAJAGAN), Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability (FSAJADAF), Ancillary & Supplemental Health Products (Accident/Critical Illness/Hospital Indemnity) (HLAEABAJ)

Keywords

• Athletic insurance brokerage
• Collegiate sports insurance
• Secondary athletic insurance
• Concussion insurance programs
• Catastrophic injury coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage: Dissinger Reed acts as an insurance broker intermediary, earning commissions from insurance carriers for placing coverage on behalf of collegiate athletic departments and high school associations. The company provides customized insurance solutions including secondary athletic insurance, catastrophic accident insurance, general liability, and specialized programs like concussion coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dissinger Reed is a specialty insurance brokerage that places athletic insurance coverage with U.S. insurance carriers on behalf of collegiate athletic departments, state high school associations, and amateur sports organizations. Core products include secondary athletic insurance, primary insurance options, the HeadStrong® concussion program, Coverage Backer™ primary-insurance verification, catastrophic accident insurance, event cancellation, general and excess liability, D&O liability, officials/coaches programs, and camp/clinic coverage. The firm earns commissions from carriers (e.g., Mutual of Omaha, Lexington Insurance, K&K Insurance) and provides consultative risk-management services.

Product overview

Dissinger Reed is a specialized athletic insurance agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products and services for collegiate athletic departments, state high school associations, and amateur sports organizations. The company operates as a single-platform insurance broker with multiple product lines including primary and secondary athletic insurance, specialized concussion coverage (HeadStrong), event cancellation insurance, catastrophic accident coverage, and various liability protections. Core offerings include the Coverage Backer primary insurance verification service, along with NFHS partnership programs covering officials, coaches, music, and speech/debate/theatre associations. The company serves over 250 colleges and universities, 26 state high school associations, and the National Federation of State High School Associations across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HeadStrong Concussion Insurance Program: A concussion insurance program that provides $25,000 accident medical concussion coverage with $0 deductible and no co-pays, covering over 675,000 student athletes across the country.
• Coverage Backer

Products and services

• Secondary Athletic Insurance Secondary/excess insurance coverage for collegiate and university athletic departments that pays claims after primary insurance has paid its share, covering deductibles, copays, and coinsurance for student athlete injuries.
• Primary Insurance Options Primary insurance coverage options for student athletes, including campus-wide student health insurance plans and catastrophic insurance for NJCAA institutions.
• HeadStrong Concussion Insurance Program Specialized concussion and neurological injury insurance covering $25,000 in accident medical concussion coverage with neurological follow-up, $0 deductible and no co-pays, $5,000 accidental death and dismemberment, and telemedicine services, priced at $1.50 per athlete with a 3,500 minimum participation requirement.
• Coverage Backer Primary insurance verification service that automates the process of verifying student athlete insurance validity, returning active/inactive policy status within 24-48 hours to prevent lapsed coverage issues, priced at $0.75 per verification on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Event Cancellation Insurance Insurance protection for colleges and universities covering lost revenue and additional expenses from cancellation, abandonment, postponement, or relocation of sporting events due to adverse weather, power failure, venue damage, or other covered causes.
• General & Excess Liability Insurance General liability and excess/umbrella liability coverage for state high school associations protecting against negligence during tournament sanctioning, direction, and production activities.
• Catastrophic Accident Insurance High-limit benefits for disabling injuries with various benefit periods including lifetime coverage for students participating in covered sports, activities, and travel, with accidental death benefit included.
• Tournament/Post-Season Insurance Gap coverage accident medical policy extending student coverage for injuries during tournament and post-season play, with deductibles as low as $100 and customizable excess medical maximums.
• Basic School Accident Insurance Coverage for all registered students including preschool through senior high, covering registered students during school-sponsored activities including interscholastic athletics with tryouts, practice, and post-season play.
• Directors & Officers Liability Insurance Protection for associations, boards, and individuals against claims for wrongful acts, covering legal defense fees, discrimination, wrongful dismissal, and employment practices with policy aggregates from $1 million and up.
• Officials Programs Comprehensive insurance coverage for game officials including general liability, excess accident medical, game fee reimbursement for lost wages, and disability coverage during scheduled competitions.
• Camp & Clinic Programs Insurance coverage for camps and clinics covering athletic activities from football to golf and debate to orchestra, including general liability, participant legal liability, and accident medical insurance.
• Athletic Trainer Liability Insurance Professional liability insurance for athletic trainers and fitness/rehabilitation professionals, offered through CM&F Group partnership, with premiums as low as $220/year employed and full consent to settle provisions.
• Sports Teams and Leagues Insurance General Liability and Accident Medical coverage for youth sports teams and leagues including games, practices, tournament participation, tryouts, and fundraisers with minimum earned premium of $100.
• Sports Tournaments and Events Insurance Primary event liability coverage for short-term sports events including tournaments, exhibitions, and outings with online quote and binding capability.
• Catastrophic Injury Coverage for Amateur Sports Comprehensive catastrophic accident insurance programs with top-rated carriers to supplement basic accident coverage and help pay for extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses.
• Contractual Bonus Insurance Insurance program allowing institutions to incentivize coaches on performance metrics and student athlete success in the classroom, freeing up budget dollars for other areas.
• NFHS Partnership Programs Comprehensive insurance programs for National Federation of State High School Associations including Officials Association, Coaches Association, Music Association, and Speech, Debate & Theatre Association coverage, distributed via membership dues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving more than 250 colleges & universities and 26 state high school associations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TalkspacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDissinger Reed partners with Talkspace to provide online mental health therapy services to student athletes at collegiate institutions. Through this partnership, student athletes gain access to licensed therapists via unlimited text, video, picture and audio messaging. Partner institutions include Eastern New Mexico State, University of Nevada, Mills College, University of Houston, and Texas A&M International University.
• Women Leaders in College SportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership agreement with Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) through July 2018. Dissinger Reed co-sponsored the Executive Leadership Track at the Women Leaders National Convention. Partnership focused on diversity and leadership initiatives supporting women in collegiate athletics.
• Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormalized athletic insurance partnership with NSIC, a collegiate athletic conference. Dissinger Reed will serve as the conference's insurance partner providing customized coverage solutions.
• K&K InsurancecoreOthersK&K Insurance handles claims administration for NFHS liability claims. Known for exceptional service with experienced examiners, litigation specialists, and management personnel specializing in claims investigation and disposition.
• Mutual Of OmahacoreOthersMutual Of Omaha serves as the carrier for NFHS accident plans. AM Best's Rating: A+ (Superior). Their Risk Services Claims Department handles participant accident claims.
• Lexington Insurance CompanycoreOthersLexington Insurance Company (A.M. Best Rating: A Excellent) serves as the carrier for NFHS General Liability insurance coverage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• K&K Insurance Group: Specialty insurer/broker focused on sports, leisure, and entertainment insurance; currently Dissinger Reed's claims administration partner for NFHS, but competes head-to-head for sports and youth athletic accounts across the U.S.
• American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services: Niche broker providing sports, leisure, and entertainment insurance programs; directly comparable to Dissinger Reed in serving athletic associations, tournaments, and youth sports organizations.
• Sadler Sports & Recreation Insurance: Specialty broker focused on sports, recreation, and amateur athletics insurance; competes for the same youth, scholastic, and amateur athletic association business that Dissinger Reed targets.

Broad incumbents

• Markel: Specialty insurer with a dedicated sports and recreation practice offering accident, liability, and event cancellation coverage; broader portfolio but overlapping customer base in scholastic and amateur athletics.
• Lockton: Global insurance broker with sports and entertainment specialty practice; particularly relevant as Ed Dissinger founded his career at Lockton before starting Dissinger Insurance Services.
• Marsh McLennan: Global broker with a sports practice serving professional leagues, colleges, and events; competing incumbent for Power 4 university and high-profile association accounts.
• Aon: Global broker whose sports practice serves collegiate and professional clients; parent-affiliated with K&K Insurance (now part of Aon), making it both a competitor and an upstream participant in the athletic insurance value chain.
• Brown & Brown Insurance: Large U.S. insurance broker with a sports and recreation practice serving scholastic, amateur, and professional athletic clients; overlaps with Dissinger Reed on collegiate and state association accounts.
• USI Insurance Services: Mid-large U.S. broker with a sports and entertainment practice serving scholastic and collegiate clients; broad geographic reach presents competitive overlap with Dissinger Reed's U.S. footprint.

Emerging players

• RPS Bollinger Sports: Specialty wholesale broker with a sports insurance practice placing coverage for scholastic, collegiate, and amateur sports programs; competes with Dissinger Reed for athletic department placements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dissingerreed
• Facebookfacebook.com/dissingerreed
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dissinger-reed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Dissinger Reed