Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath

What Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath does

Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath (SMG) is an independent insurance agency founded in 1953 and headquartered in Lawrenceville, Georgia, with offices in Buford and Cumming. The agency distributes a broad portfolio of personal, commercial, life, health, dental, and specialty insurance products — including Auto, Homeowners, Motorcycle, Renters, Flood, Business & Commercial, Construction, Workers Compensation, Bonds, Errors and Omissions, Restaurant/Bar/Tavern, and Medicare coverage — across a multi-carrier network of 15+ insurance partners (Travelers, The Hartford, Progressive, Cincinnati, Auto Owners, MetLife, and others). It also operates an Employee Benefits practice supported by Employee Navigator HR software for benefits enrollment, plan comparison, and compliance administration.

The company makes money through commissions earned by placing business with carrier partners, with pricing set on a quote-based, annual billing cadence determined by individual risk factors and coverage needs. Distribution is relationship-led: in-person consultations at the Buford office, phone/email intake, online quote forms, and a Refer-a-Friend community acquisition program. Marketing is supported by a content blog, social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), and a multi-carrier ePay Policy payment portal for direct premium collection.

In 2022, SMG joined Alera Group, an independent national insurance and wealth services firm, giving the agency access to national-scale employee benefits, retirement, and wealth capabilities while continuing to operate under its local Georgia brand. The firm employs 20+ named staff across account executive, account management, claims, benefits, marketing, and accounting functions. No revenue, funding, or AI/ML capabilities are publicly disclosed.

Name

Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath

Legal name

Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath, Inc.

Website

https://smginsurance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath is an independent insurance agency founded in 1953, distributing personal, commercial, life, health, dental, and specialty insurance through a 15+ carrier network to individuals, families, and SMBs across Metro Atlanta and Georgia. It joined Alera Group in 2022.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrenceville

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 Commissions: Revenue generated through commissions from multiple insurance carriers for placing business with them. Offers personal lines (auto, homeowners, life, health, dental, motorcycle, renters, flood) and commercial lines (business, construction, bonds, workers compensation, restaurant/bar/tavern).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath is an independent insurance agency distributing personal lines, commercial lines, life, health, Medicare, dental, and employee benefits coverage through multiple insurance carriers. The agency also provides claims management, loss control, and benefits administration support for clients in Metro Atlanta and throughout Georgia.

Product overview

Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath is an independent insurance agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products and employee benefits services. The agency operates as a full-service insurance provider with a diverse product portfolio spanning personal lines (Auto, Homeowners, Motorcycle, Renters, Flood Insurance), commercial lines (Business & Commercial, Construction, Workers Compensation, Bonds, Restaurant/Bar/Tavern Insurance), employee benefits, and specialized coverage (Medicare, Life, Health, Dental, Errors and Omissions). The agency also provides technology-enabled HR solutions through Employee Navigator for benefits administration. In 2022, the agency joined Alera Group, an independent national insurance and wealth services firm, to facilitate continued growth while maintaining its independent agency model serving Metro Atlanta and throughout Georgia since 1953.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auto Insurance Auto insurance coverage that protects against financial loss from accidents, covering property damage, liability, and medical costs. Policies are typically for six-month or one-year terms and are placed with multiple carrier partners.
• Homeowners Insurance Package policy covering damage to the insured residence and liability for injuries and property damage caused by the homeowner, family members, or household pets, placed through multiple carriers.
• Business & Commercial Insurance Comprehensive commercial coverage including commercial auto, general liability, workers compensation, and various business-specific insurance products for Georgia small and medium businesses.
• Life Insurance Life insurance coverage including term insurance for temporary needs and permanent insurance providing lifelong protection with cash value accumulation.
• Health Insurance Health coverage options including Fee-for-Service plans and Managed Care plans (HMOs, PPOs, POS plans), covering medical, surgical, hospital expenses, and prescription drug coverage.
• Medicare Coverage Medicare coverage assistance including Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), Part C (Medicare Advantage), Part D (prescription drug), and Medicare Supplemental (Medigap) plans for seniors, supported by a dedicated Medicare Specialist.
• Dental Insurance Dental insurance providing affordable coverage for preventive check-ups and major dental procedures including fillings, crowns, periodontics, and orthodontics.
• Construction Insurance Specialized insurance for construction professionals including general liability, professional liability, commercial vehicle, loss of income, builder's risk, and workers' compensation coverage.
• Motorcycle Insurance Motorcycle insurance covering accident-related costs, theft, medical expenses, and liability for damage or injury caused to others.
• Renters Insurance Coverage for personal belongings against fire, smoke, lightning, vandalism, theft, explosion, windstorm, and water damage, plus additional living expense coverage.
• Flood Insurance Separate flood insurance policy providing reimbursement for covered losses from flood damage, independent of homeowners insurance.
• Bonds Surety bond products including Bid Bonds, Performance and Payment Bonds, Maintenance Bonds, Right of Way Bonds, and Subdivision Bonds for businesses.
• Errors and Omissions Insurance Professional liability coverage protecting businesses from third-party claims of error and/or negligence in services provided or failure to provide services.
• Restaurant, Bar & Tavern Insurance Specialized restaurant insurance programs covering franchises, bars/taverns, and fine dining establishments with access to more than 10 restaurant insurance programs.
• Employee Benefits Full-service employee benefits program design and management including consultation, implementation, open enrollment, new hire onboarding, and ongoing administration via Employee Navigator.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Alera GroupcoreOthers · 1 January 2022In 2022, Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath joined Alera Group, an independent national insurance and wealth services firm. This was a strategic move to facilitate continued growth while maintaining local service. Alera Group offers comprehensive employee benefits, property and casualty insurance, retirement plan services, and wealth services solutions nationwide.
• Insurance Carriers (Multiple)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-carrier distribution network including: Auto Owners Insurance, Builders Insurance Group, Cincinnati Insurance, Donegal, EMC Insurance, Encompass, FCCI, FFVA Mutual, Grange, Hanover Insurance Group, The Hartford, Imperial Premium Finance, Metlife, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Progressive, Selective Insurance, Travelers, Utica National. As an independent agency, SMG distributes these carriers' insurance products to end customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AssuredPartners: National insurance brokerage that has grown primarily through acquiring regional independent agencies like SMG. Operates a similar multi-carrier distribution model but at vastly greater scale across all 50 states.
• Acrisure: One of the largest insurance brokers globally, built largely through acquisition of regional agencies. Directly comparable distribution model and product breadth to SMG, scaled nationally and internationally.
• USI Insurance Services: National insurance brokerage and consulting firm serving middle-market and large commercial clients with property/casualty, employee benefits, and personal lines. Competes with SMG for the same Metro Atlanta mid-market accounts.
• Marsh McLennan Agency: Middle-market arm of Marsh McLennan delivering commercial insurance, employee benefits, and risk advisory through regional offices. Comparable in P&C and benefits mix but serves larger accounts than SMG.
• Hub International: Large North American insurance brokerage offering commercial, personal, and employee benefits solutions through acquired regional agencies. Comparable product mix to SMG but with national and global resources.
• Brown & Brown Insurance: Publicly traded national insurance broker distributing commercial, personal, and benefits products through regional offices and acquired agencies. Directly comparable independent agency model at much larger scale.
• Gallagher (Arthur J. Gallagher): Global insurance brokerage and risk management firm serving commercial and personal clients. Competes for the same Metro Atlanta commercial accounts with deeper specialty practice resources.

Emerging players

• RPS (Risk Placement Services): Specialty wholesale broker and managing general agent placing complex and non-standard commercial risks. Comparable to SMG's commercial lines distribution approach but with specialty/niche focus and wholesale relationships.

Direct peers

• Alera Group (sister agencies): Parent firm of SMG since 2022; its network of regional independent agencies operates under the same multi-carrier distribution and employee benefits model. Sister agencies are the most directly comparable peers and the most likely collaborators for SMG's expansion.
• Higginbotham Insurance & Brokerage: Largest privately held independent insurance broker in Texas, serving commercial and personal lines with multi-carrier distribution. Highly comparable to SMG in independent agency model, product breadth, and regional concentration strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/iiiorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/smginsurance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath