J E Brown & Associates Inc

What J E Brown & Associates Inc does

J.E. Brown & Associates Insurance Services is a wholesale insurance brokerage founded in 1989 and headquartered at 303 Lennon Lane, Walnut Creek, California. The firm operates as an intermediary between insurance carriers and independent retail insurance agencies, providing access to specialty and non-standard risk placements across eight Western US states (California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington). It does not sell directly to consumers; instead it distributes a broad product menu spanning personal lines (homeowners, dwelling fire, earthquake, flood, manufactured home, vacant, seasonal, collector car, boat, personal watercraft, home-based business, personal umbrella, comprehensive personal liability, course of construction), commercial lines (commercial earthquake, BOP/commercial package, general liability, inland marine, special events, scheduled dwelling programs), and professional lines (cyber, D&O, EPLI, E&O) through 26+ carrier partnerships including Aegis, American Modern, Atrium/Lloyd's, Blitz, Chubb, Coterie, GeoVera, Hiscox, Hudson, ICAT, Jewelers Mutual, KW Specialty, NEXT, RLI, Sayata, Tower Hill, USLI, Westchester, and Wright Flood.

The firm's core technology is a Single Sign On (SSO) portal that lets licensed retail agents quote, bind, and service policies across multiple carrier platforms without separate logins. This is supplemented by the CORE Rater comparative rating tool for dwelling fire and vacant dwelling products, integration with American Modern's modernLINK processing platform, the KW Specialty KWiQ paperless quoting system, and the Sayata cyber comparative rater. The platform targets retail agencies that need rapid access to specialty markets for risks declined by standard carriers, including non-admitted placements and hard-to-place classes such as cannabis, vacant dwellings, and high-brush exposure properties.

Revenue is generated through insurance commissions from carriers on business placed through JE Brown's distribution network of retail agents; no upfront fees are charged to become a broker partner, and product pricing is determined by the underlying carrier. The firm operates with 11-50 employees, conducts co-marketing with carrier partners, runs agent training webinars, and maintains content marketing channels (news blog, email newsletter, YouTube). Ownership is private with no disclosed external investment, private equity backing, or public listing.

Name

J E Brown & Associates Inc

Legal name

J.E. Brown & Associates Insurance Services

Website

https://jebrown.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Insurance Brokerage (Excess & Surplus Lines) (FSAEADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Lines Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAB), Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines) (FSAEADAJ), Professional Liability (E&O) (FSAJAGAC)

Keywords

• Wholesale insurance brokerage
• Commercial insurance lines
• Personal insurance products
• Professional liability coverage
• Specialty insurance carriers

Headquarters

HQ city

Walnut Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Commission Income: JE Brown earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing business. As a wholesale broker, they receive a percentage of premiums written through their distribution network of retail agents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

J.E. Brown & Associates is a wholesale insurance brokerage that provides independent retail insurance agents with access to personal, commercial, and professional lines products from 26+ specialty carriers. The firm enables agents to quote, bind, and service policies online through a Single Sign On portal integrating multiple carrier systems, supplemented by comparative rating tools and support staff for complex or non-standard risks across eight Western U.S. states.

Product overview

J.E. Brown & Associates is a wholesale insurance brokerage providing retail insurance agents with access to personal, commercial, and professional lines products through multiple specialized carriers. The core offering is a technology-enabled platform combining Single Sign On (SSO) portal access for quoting and binding across 28+ carrier partners, supplemented by comparative rating tools like CORE Rater. Commercial products include Commercial Earthquake, Commercial Package/BOP, General Liability, Inland Marine, Special Events, and Scheduled Dwelling Programs. Personal products span Homeowners, Dwelling Fire, Flood, Earthquake, Boat, Personal Watercraft, Manufactured Home, Seasonal, Vacant, Collector Car, Home Based Business, Comprehensive Personal Liability, and Personal Umbrella. Professional products include Cyber, D&O/EPLI, and E&O coverage. The portfolio is distributed across 8 western states (California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single Sign On (SSO) Portal Centralized online portal that enables licensed retail insurance agents to quote, bind, and process policies across multiple carrier partners without separate logins.
• CORE Rater Comparative rating platform that lets retail agents compare dwelling fire and vacant dwelling rates across multiple carriers.
• Commercial Earthquake Non-admitted earthquake coverage for commercial properties covering buildings, business personal property, tenant improvements, business income/rental value, and additional property coverage.
• Commercial Package / BOP Flexible commercial package policy offerings writing both admitted and non-admitted coverage for businesses including those with claims activity or new ventures.
• General Liability Mono-line commercial general liability coverage with admitted and non-admitted options for 100+ classes of business, including hard-to-place contractors.
• Inland Marine Coverage for contractors' work property, equipment, machinery, and instruments with $500K aggregate limit and $150K per-item limit.
• Special Events General liability and liquor liability coverage for events of 1-5 days duration, including festivals, weddings, and fundraisers.
• 5+ Scheduled Dwelling Program Coverage for real-estate investors owning 5 or more dwellings, allowing scheduling of unlimited 1-6 family dwellings with $1M/$2M liability limits.
• Boat Personalized watercraft coverage for sport-fishing boats, house boats, sail boats, and similar craft with values up to $1M.
• Comprehensive Personal Liability (CPL) Standalone personal liability coverage for LLCs, estates, and private trusts, with limits up to $1,000,000 and excess CPL up to $5,000,000.
• Course of Construction Builders risk and renovation insurance during construction, with $1M completed-value coverage and up to $1.5M total insurable value.
• Dwelling Fire Standalone dwelling fire coverage for secondary residences, vacation rentals, risks with previous losses, and older homes.
• Earthquake Residential earthquake insurance with quick online estimates in under 30 seconds and deductibles ranging from 2.5% to 25%.
• Elite Collector Car Collector vehicle coverage with agreed-value total-loss settlement and low-mileage plan options.
• Flood NFIP and private flood insurance through Wright Flood and Lloyd's carriers, with no elevation certificate required on preferred risks.
• Home Based Business Coverage for home-based businesses including general liability up to $1M/$2M, business property, and loss of income up to $100K; premiums start at $159.
• Homeowners Programs Range of homeowners products including preferred (Chubb high-value), non-standard options, and coverage for high brush exposure and prior losses.
• Manufactured Home Coverage for primary, secondary, rental, and short-term rental manufactured homes with up to $2M TIV and extended replacement cost.
• Personal Umbrella Personal umbrella coverage spanning preferred to non-standard risks with markets offering up to $15 million in limits.
• Personal Watercraft Full coverage or liability-only options for personal watercraft with flexible underwriting and watersport liability.
• Seasonal Coverage for seasonal and secondary-home risks including long-term lapses, log homes, galvanized plumbing, and multiple losses, with values up to $1M.
• Vacant Coverage for vacant properties with values up to $3M, DP-3 option, and liability up to $1M.
• Cyber Privacy liability and data-breach coverage with limits up to $10M and premiums starting at $500.
• Directors & Officers (D&O) and Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) Directors and officers liability coverage with limits to $5M and employment practices liability coverage for employers.
• Errors & Omissions (E&O) Errors and omissions coverage accommodating new ventures and risks with no prior coverage; premiums start at $270.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Aegis Security Insurance CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA.M. Best "A" rated specialty P&C insurer licensed in all 50 states. Provides specialty property and casualty insurance, surety, and accident and health products. Aegis distributes through independent agencies nationwide.
• American Modern (AMIG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational leader in specialty insurance with 50+ years of experience. Offers residential insurance for rental property, vacant homes, seasonal homes, and mobile homes. A+ (Superior) financial rating from A.M. Best.
• Atrium / AUGoldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading specialist insurance and reinsurance business underwriting through Syndicate 609 at Lloyd's. Non-admitted basis allows greater flexibility for rate and appetite. Writing since the 1930s.
• Blitz InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCannabis and hemp commercial package insurance provider. Offers fast, simple, quality coverage with automated quoting and policy issuance. E&S coverage that is flexible, comprehensive, and easy to understand.
• CFC UnderwritingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides modular insurance policies allowing customers to choose coverage they want. Focuses on clear, understandable language. Offers cyber and commercial insurance products.
• ChubbcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading insurer offering innovative and expansive coverage for homes, automobiles, valuables, watercraft, and personal liability. Masterpiece policy provides exceptional all-risk coverage for high-value homes.
• Coterie InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance technology company rethinking small business insurance with speed, simplicity, and service. 100% digital, data-powered underwriting platform. General Liability, Professional Liability, and BOP products.
• GeoVeracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarket leader in stand-alone residential earthquake insurance in California, Oregon, and Washington. A.M. Best "A" (Excellent) rating. Advanced technology for quick residential earthquake insurance quoting.
• Hiscox NowcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA.M. Best "A" rated small business insurance platform. Tailored coverage for IT/technology, marketing, consulting, and professional service businesses. Over 150 eligible classes. Quote and bind online in minutes.
• Hudson Insurance GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarket-leading specialty insurance group headquartered in NYC. Part of OdysseyRe with $11 billion in assets. "A" rated by A.M. Best. Offers wide range of P&C products for corporations, professional firms, and individuals.
• ICAT ManagerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSyndicate 4242 at Lloyd's of London offering commercial earthquake coverage in Western US. A.M. Best "A" (Excellent) rated. Non-admitted basis using Difference in Conditions policy form.
• Jewelers Mutual GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe only insurer in North America dedicated to jewelry insurance for over 100 years. Based in Neenah, WI. Provides standalone personal jewelry policies.
• KW SpecialtycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading specialty MGA offering tough-to-place personal lines property solutions. 40+ years experience with creative underwriting solutions. Non-admitted market with find-a-way-to-write-it approach.
• NEXT InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital-focused insurance carrier offering small business coverage. Provides online quoting and binding for various business classes.
• RLIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialty insurance company offering home business, personal umbrella, and other specialty products. Known for creative underwriting solutions.
• SayatacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCyber insurance marketplace offering access to over 7 different admitted and non-admitted cyber carriers. Comparative rater for cyber liability products.
• Tower Hill SpecialtycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNiche provider of specialty personal lines property insurance in Arizona. B++ rated by A.M. Best. Serves risks often underserved by conventional national carriers.
• USLI (United States Liability Insurance)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading specialty insurer offering commercial and personal lines products. Provides coverage for various risks including hard-to-place classes.
• WestchestercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of Chubb group, offering commercial insurance products including E&O, cyber, and BOP policies. Provides admitted and non-admitted coverage options.
• Wright FloodcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading flood insurance provider offering NFIP and private flood options. Access to multiple private flood carriers alongside traditional WYO product.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brown & Riding: Wholesale insurance brokerage offering commercial, personal, and professional lines through specialty carrier panels to retail agents. Comparable in business model and emphasis on hard-to-place risks.
• CRC Group: National wholesale insurance brokerage serving retail agents across commercial, personal, and specialty lines. Closely comparable business model: aggregating specialty carrier access for independent retail agents.
• Burns & Wilcox: One of the largest US wholesale insurance brokerages, providing retail agents access to specialty and standard markets across personal, commercial, and professional lines. Operates the same wholesale-to-retail distribution model with a similar multi-state footprint.
• Amwins: Largest US wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent, distributing specialty and standard products to retail agents nationwide. Directly comparable as a wholesale brokerage with similar carrier-panel aggregation strategy and diverse product portfolio.
• NSM Insurance Group: Specialty insurance program manager and wholesale distributor focused on niche verticals such as collectors, marine, and commercial specialty. Comparable in specialty/wholesale distribution approach to retail agents.
• Worldwide Facilities: National wholesale insurance broker and MGA with broad carrier panel access across commercial and personal lines. Operates the same wholesale-to-retail agent distribution model.
• RPS (Risk Placement Services): Major wholesale insurance broker distributing specialty and standard products to retail agents nationwide. Comparable in carrier-panel model, specialty risk focus, and agent enablement approach.

Broad incumbents

• Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Large full-service insurance brokerage with retail, wholesale, and benefit consulting capabilities across the Western US and beyond. Comparable on retail/wholesale agent distribution and Western US presence, though operates as a broader incumbent with deeper resources.

Emerging players

• NEXT Insurance: Digital-first small commercial insurance carrier offering online quoting and binding across 1,000+ business classes. Currently a carrier partner of J.E. Brown but competes structurally by enabling retail agents to bypass wholesale intermediaries for standard small commercial risks.
• Coterie Insurance: 100% digital, data-powered commercial insurance platform offering GL, Professional Liability, and BOP with rapid online binding. Currently a carrier partner but competes by directly serving retail agents with embedded tech.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC69dhRQchgLWBktZnEqPTnw
• Xx.com/jebrownassoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/jebrownassociates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 J E Brown & Associates Inc