Barbary Insurance Brokerage

What Barbary Insurance Brokerage does

Heffernan Barbary Insurance Services, operating as Barbary Insurance Brokerage, is an independent insurance brokerage headquartered at 436 14th Street, Suite 1511, Oakland, California. Founded in October 2006 by Jerry Becerra, CPCU, the firm operates with a small team (1-10 employees; four named staff — Jerry Becerra as President, Callie Marx as Commercial Lines Account Manager, Steven Haas as New Business Account Manager, and Paula Burgess) and is privately held with no disclosed parent company, private-equity backing, or institutional investment. The firm holds a California insurance license (#6010360).

The business model is commission-based brokerage: as an independent agent representing ten+ carriers (Hartford, Liberty Mutual, Chubb, CNA, Hiscox, Nationwide, Next Insurance, Philadelphia Insurance, Progressive, Safeco), Barbary shops multiple carriers on behalf of clients and earns carrier commissions on placed policies. Service is delivered through a sales-led, direct-touch GTM motion — phone, in-person, and email from the Oakland office — supplemented by website quote-request forms and a referral program. No software or SaaS product is offered; the technology footprint is limited to a billing portal (payments.barbaryinsurance.com), an educational interactive-coverage widget, and standard quote forms.

The product portfolio spans three buckets. Business insurance core lines include Business Owners Policy, General Liability, Commercial Property, Workers' Compensation, and Business Auto, with add-on modules covering Cyber Liability, Commercial Umbrella, D&O, E&O, EPLI, Business Income, Crime and Fidelity, Environmental, Systems Breakdown, Builders Risk, and Natural Disaster. Personal lines core products include Home, Auto, Flood, Motorcycle, and Condo, with personal Umbrella as an add-on. Industry-specific verticals span Professional Services, Medical Office, Non-Profit, School, Retail Business, Hospitality, and Technology firms. Customers are primarily SMBs and individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area; sample engagements include a real-estate brokerage and investment firm, a startup requiring compressed-timeframe general liability placement, and small businesses needing liability plus workers' compensation coverage. Pricing is quote-based and varies by risk, coverage limits, and carrier underwriting; billing is monthly for in-force policies.

Name

Barbary Insurance Brokerage

Legal name

Heffernan Barbary Insurance Services

Website

https://barbaryinsurance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independent insurance brokerage serving San Francisco Bay Area businesses and individuals, founded in 2006 in Oakland, CA, representing multiple carriers to deliver business, personal, and industry-specific insurance coverage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

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

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Lines Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA), Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines) (FSAEADAJ)

Keywords

• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Personal insurance agency
• Business insurance coverage
• Independent insurance broker
• Industry-specific insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commissions: As an independent insurance broker, they earn commissions from insurance carriers when placing policies for clients. They represent multiple insurance companies (Hartford, Liberty Mutual, Chubb, CNA, Hiscox, Nationwide, Next Insurance, Philadelphia Insurance, Progressive, Safeco) to offer diverse coverage options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Barbary Insurance Brokerage is an independent insurance agency founded in October 2006 in Oakland, California, operating as part of the Heffernan network. The firm brokers business, personal, and industry-tailored insurance policies on behalf of clients by placing coverage with a panel of A-rated carriers including Hartford, Liberty Mutual, Chubb, CNA, Hiscox, Nationwide, Philadelphia Insurance, Progressive, and Safeco.

Product overview

Heffernan Barbary Insurance Services is an independent insurance brokerage firm serving the San Francisco Bay Area, founded in October 2006 by Jerry Becerra, CPCU. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products organized into three main categories: Business Insurance (including Business Owners Policies, General Liability, Commercial Property, Workers' Compensation, and Business Auto as core offerings, plus specialized add-on modules like Cyber Liability, Commercial Umbrella, D&O, E&O, EPLI, Business Income, Crime, Environmental, Systems Breakdown, Builders Risk, and Natural Disaster coverage), Personal Insurance (including Home, Auto, Flood, Motorcycle, and Condo as core products, plus Umbrella and other personal lines), and Industry-Specific Insurance (including Professional Services, Medical Office, Non-Profit, School, and Retail Business coverage). The company represents multiple insurance carriers including Chubb, CNA, Hartford, Hiscox, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Next Insurance, Philadelphia Insurance, and Progressive. As an independent agency, they shop multiple insurance companies on behalf of clients to find tailored coverage solutions. The company does not offer a software or SaaS product—its offerings are traditional insurance brokerage services delivered through licensed advisors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Insurance Commercial insurance package for small and mid-sized businesses combining general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, commercial property, cyber liability, errors and omissions, employee benefits, and commercial umbrella coverage.
• Personal Insurance Personal lines coverage for individuals and households including auto, home, renters, personal umbrella, and recreational vehicles (boats, motorcycles, RVs, off-road vehicles).
• General Liability Insurance
• Workers Compensation Insurance
• Commercial Auto Insurance
• Commercial Property Insurance
• Cyber Liability Insurance
• Errors and Omissions Insurance
• Employee Benefits Insurance
• Commercial Umbrella Insurance
• Personal Auto Insurance
• Home Insurance
• Renters Insurance
• Personal Umbrella Insurance
• Recreational Vehicle Insurance
• Construction Industry Insurance
• Manufacturing Industry Insurance
• Real Estate Industry Insurance
• Contractors Insurance
• Hospitality Industry Insurance
• Trucking Industry Insurance
• Healthcare Industry Insurance
• Technology Industry Insurance
• Professional Services Insurance

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HartfordcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHartford is one of the insurance carriers represented by Heffernan Barbary Insurance Services, offering various business and personal insurance products through the independent agency channel.
• Liberty MutualcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLiberty Mutual is one of the insurance carriers represented by the agency, providing commercial and personal insurance coverage options.
• ChubbcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChubb is a major insurance carrier represented by the agency, offering commercial and specialty insurance products.
• CNAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCNA is an insurance carrier represented by the agency, specializing in business insurance solutions.
• HiscoxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHiscox is an insurance carrier represented by the agency, focusing on specialty and small business insurance.
• NationwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNationwide is an insurance carrier represented by the agency, offering a wide range of insurance products.
• Next InsuranceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNext Insurance is a digital-focused insurance carrier represented by the agency for small business coverage.
• Philadelphia Insurance CompaniesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPhiladelphia Insurance Companies is a specialty insurance carrier represented by the agency.
• ProgressivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProgressive is an insurance carrier represented by the agency, known for auto and commercial insurance.
• SafecocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSafeco is an insurance carrier represented by the agency, offering personal and small business insurance products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• NEXT Insurance: NEXT Insurance is a digital-first insurtech offering small commercial insurance directly online. Notably, NEXT is both a competitor (digital broker) and a carrier partner of Barbary, representing the disintermediation dynamic the agency faces.
• CoverWallet (Aon): CoverWallet is a digital insurance brokerage acquired by Aon, targeting small businesses with online quote-and-bind workflows. Represents the digital brokerage model competing for the same SMB segment Barbary serves via traditional channels.
• Paychex Insurance Agency: Paychex offers insurance brokerage services bundled with payroll and HR for small businesses. Adjacent competitor in the SMB commercial insurance space, leveraging a different (technology-led) GTM motion.

Direct peers

• Insurance Office of America: IOA is a large independent insurance agency offering commercial, personal, and employee benefits coverage across multiple states. Similar independent agency model and product breadth, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Heffernan Insurance Brokers is one of the largest independent insurance brokerages in the San Francisco Bay Area. The legal name "Heffernan Barbary Insurance Services" suggests a franchise or partnership relationship with Heffernan, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Woodruff-Sawyer & Co. Woodruff-Sawyer is an independent, employee-owned insurance brokerage headquartered in San Francisco serving Bay Area businesses with commercial and personal lines. Comparable in scale, regional focus, and multi-carrier independent agency model.
• Brown & Riding Insurance Services: Brown & Riding is a specialty insurance brokerage and wholesale firm offering property, casualty, and professional lines. Overlaps with Barbary's specialty offerings (E&O, D&O, cyber, professional liability) for niche commercial clients.
• InterWest Insurance Services: InterWest is a California-based independent insurance brokerage serving SMBs and individuals across multiple verticals. Operates with similar multi-carrier independent agency structure and regional footprint, making it a comparable peer.

Broad incumbents

• The Hartford: The Hartford is a major national insurance carrier offering commercial and personal lines, including through independent agents like Barbary. As a represented carrier, it is an upstream counterparty and broader industry incumbent shaping the agency's product access and commissions.
• Marsh McLennan Agency: Marsh McLennan Agency is the middle-market arm of global broker Marsh, offering commercial insurance and risk advisory. While much larger, it competes for Bay Area mid-market accounts in similar commercial lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BarbaryInsuranceBrokerage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barbary-insurance-brokerage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Barbary Insurance Brokerage