PDCM Insurance

What PDCM Insurance does

PDCM Insurance is an independent insurance brokerage and risk management advisory firm headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa, operating as a division of Patriot Growth Insurance Services, LLC. The company traces its roots to 1916 (Vaughan, Pedersen & McCausland Insurance) and was formed through the merger of two Iowa agencies, with the modern Employee Benefits practice established after John Monaghan's firm merged into PDCM in January 2013. PDCM was acquired by Patriot Growth Insurance Services in 2019, giving it access to a national platform of 100+ offices across 23 states and more than 1,700 professionals.

The firm serves three primary customer segments: businesses (commercial P&C coverage for construction, manufacturing, technology, auto salvage, social services/nonprofits, government/municipalities, healthcare, and collection agencies), employers (employee benefits including health insurance, self-funding, medical captives, wellness, and HR compliance), and individuals (personal lines covering home, auto, renters, umbrella, recreational vehicles, pet, travel, and specialty items). Its core technology assets are a proprietary "Risk Reduction Approach" methodology and a portfolio of in-house and third-party platforms: PDCM 24/7 client portal, BerniePortal, PDCM Enroll+, Employee Navigator, CyberSmarter (cyber risk diagnostics), and EMPower (wellness program). The firm generates revenue through insurance brokerage commissions on placements across multiple carriers, tiered subscription fees for HRConnect ($99-$199/month plus implementation), and fee-based consulting for OSHA compliance, HR, and cyber security.

Name

PDCM Insurance

Legal name

PDCM Insurance

Website

https://pdcm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PDCM Insurance is an independent Iowa-based insurance brokerage and risk advisory firm, serving Midwest businesses, employers, and individuals with commercial P&C, employee benefits, personal lines, and adjacent HR, cyber, and safety consulting, operating as a division of Patriot Growth Insurance Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

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

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)

akta.pro primary industry

Captive Insurance Advisory & Management (FSAEADAF)

Keywords

• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Employee benefits consulting
• Personal lines insurance
• Risk management consulting
• HR compliance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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 Brokerage Commissions: PDCM acts as an independent insurance agency representing multiple insurance companies, earning commissions on policies placed for business and personal insurance coverage including workers' compensation, property, general liability, professional insurance, and employee benefits.
2. HRConnect Subscription Services: Subscription-based HR compliance and consulting services offered in three tiers (Advisor, Insider, Executive) with monthly fees and implementation costs, providing ongoing advisory, training, and HR process support.
3. Consulting Services: Fee-based consulting services including OSHA compliance and safety consulting, employee wellness programs, cyber security assessments (CyberSmarter), and legislative compliance support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PDCM Insurance is an independent insurance agency that places business, personal, and employee benefits coverage through multiple carrier appointments and layers in-house consulting services (OSHA compliance, HR compliance, cyber security, wellness) on top of insurance placement. The agency operates its proprietary Risk Reduction Approach™ methodology to customize plans for families and businesses, with revenue earned primarily through insurance brokerage commissions and supplemented by subscription-based HRConnect services and consulting fees.

Product overview

PDCM Insurance operates as a multi-line insurance agency and consulting firm offering three core product categories: Business Insurance (commercial P&C coverage for construction, manufacturing, technology, auto salvage, social services, government, healthcare, and collection agencies), Personal Insurance (homeowners, auto, renters, umbrella, classic auto, recreational vehicles, pet, travel, and specialty items), and Employee Benefits (health insurance, wellness, HRConnect, enrollment software, and compliance services). The firm also provides Consulting Services including OSHA compliance, CyberSmarter cyber risk management, employee wellness programs, and HRConnect advisory tiers (Advisor, Insider, Executive). All services are delivered through a risk reduction approach combining insurance placement with in-house consulting to help clients make smarter business decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HRConnect: HR compliance and consulting division offering customized human resource solutions including conflict management, drug testing compliance, employee handbook, FMLA administration, harassment and discrimination training, new employee onboarding, performance management, recruitment and retention, and training and development.
• CyberSmarter
• BerniePortal
• EMpower Program
• PDCM Enroll+

Products and services

• Business Insurance Commercial property and casualty insurance placement for small-to-mid-size businesses, covering workers' compensation, property, general liability, professional liability, cyber liability, commercial auto, and construction bonds, complemented by in-house OSHA, HR, cyber, and safety consulting.
• Personal Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• Safety programs can reduce illness and injury costs up to 40 percent in construction industry
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered parent company and core.

• Patriot Growth Insurance Services, LLCparent companyOthersPDCM Insurance is a division of Patriot Growth Insurance Services, LLC. Patriot is a growth-focused national insurance services firm founded in 2019 that partners with employee benefits and property & casualty agencies across the United States. With 100+ offices in 23 states and more than 1,700 professionals, Patriot ranks as a top 60 U.S. privately held insurance agency.
• BerniePortalcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party benefits management platform integrated into PDCM's employee benefits offerings. BerniePortal allows HR departments to manage benefit elections, generate enrollment forms, and provide employee self-service through an integrated HR platform. PDCM recommends this software for benefit enrollment collection.
• Maynard, Cooper, Gale LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerErisa compliance law firm providing PDCM with immediate legislative updates, guidance, and training for employee benefits compliance support. This partnership enables PDCM to offer legislative compliance services without requiring clients to engage separate legal counsel.
• Multiple Insurance CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAs an independent insurance agency, PDCM has long-term relationships with multiple major insurance carriers enabling access to traditional business and personal insurance coverage. This multi-carrier approach allows PDCM to match clients with the best coverage and rates across the market.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lockton Companies: Lockton is the world's largest privately held insurance brokerage, with deep employee benefits, commercial P&C, and risk consulting practices. Comparable to PDCM in independent agency model, product breadth, and private ownership, though materially larger.
• Acrisure: Acrisure is a fast-growing, PE-backed insurance brokerage built largely through acquisitions, offering commercial, personal, and benefits products. Highly comparable to Patriot/PDCM as a roll-up platform with independent agency partners and multi-line offerings.
• Hilb Group: Hilb Group is a mid-sized, PE-backed insurance brokerage providing commercial, personal, and employee benefits products across the US. Closely comparable to PDCM/Patriot as a roll-up platform acquiring regional agencies.
• Hub International: Hub International is a large privately held insurance brokerage offering commercial P&C, personal lines, employee benefits, and risk management services across North America. Comparable to PDCM as a multi-line independent agency with integrated risk advisory, though at significantly larger scale.
• USI Insurance Services: USI is a mid-sized insurance brokerage and consulting firm offering commercial, personal, and employee benefits solutions. Similar to PDCM in mid-market orientation, multi-product approach, and integrated consulting, with a PE-backed growth history.
• IMA Financial Group: IMA Financial Group is a privately held, employee-owned insurance brokerage offering commercial P&C, employee benefits, and personal lines. Similar to PDCM as an independent, multi-product, privately held brokerage with risk management consulting.
• NFP Corp: NFP is a mid-sized insurance brokerage and consulting firm offering commercial, personal, and benefits solutions, with a strong mid-market and employee benefits focus. Comparable to PDCM in product mix and client base, now owned by The Hartford.

Broad incumbents

• Brown & Brown, Inc. Brown & Brown is a publicly traded national insurance brokerage providing commercial P&C, employee benefits, and personal lines. Comparable to PDCM in diversified product set and agency/brokerage model, with public-company scale and discipline.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Gallagher is one of the largest global insurance brokerage and risk management firms, offering commercial P&C, employee benefits, and consulting. PDCM's CEO Chris Fereday was previously a consultant at Gallagher, making it a direct skill-set and product analog, though at vastly greater scale.
• MMA Insurance Agency (Marsh McLennan Agency): Marsh McLennan Agency is the middle-market arm of Marsh, providing commercial P&C, employee benefits, and personal lines. Comparable to PDCM in product breadth and target market, with backing of global insurance broker Marsh McLennan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnL_qK3Kx3L7J-1Yv1d0X9Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/pdcminsurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pdcm-insurance
• Instagraminstagram.com/pdcm_insurance
• Xx.com/pdcmins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 PDCM Insurance