National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

What National Association of Professional Insurance Agents does

The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1931 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, representing independent insurance agents across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and D.C. It is organized around four service pillars delivered through a national network of state affiliates: (1) Insurance Products to Sell (E&O, cyber liability, PIA cyber, Hartford flood, Commercial Lines Market Access with new Workers' Compensation & BOP, Rainbow MGA, PIA Propeller, PIA Breeze, PIA Market Access); (2) Education & Certifications (CPIA designation, Trusted Risk Advisor certification, CSR Sales Master Class, ExamFX prelicensing); (3) Agency Operations Tools (PIA Ascend, 401(k) program, telematics fleet safety, IdealTraits hiring, OMNIA profiling, AVYST eForms, ACORD form licenses, UPS discount program, Rough Notes Advantage Plus); and (4) Technology & Marketing, anchored by the PIA Technology Council ecosystem of ~17 vetted technology vendors (Agency Revolution, EZLynx, HawkSoft, CyberFin, Sonant AI, etc.), the PIA DMV direct-marketing portal, and the award-winning PIA Connection Magazine. Underlying technology consists of integration and partnership integrations rather than proprietary software, with ACORD-form licensing funded for qualifying sub-$50M-revenue member agencies.

PIA's business model derives revenue from five streams: recurring membership dues from independent agents/agencies, commissions on member-sold insurance products (notably 12.5% on cyber), advertising and sponsorships (PIA Connection Magazine, Newsline, Supporter/Pinnacle Partner programs, Advocacy Day events), and recurring education/certification fees. Membership acquisition runs through state affiliates and association-level integration agreements (e.g., 2020 NIICA integration bringing in Nationwide's ~2,000 transitioning agents). The organization is governed by its members via a board of directors and led by CEO Mike Skiados, with a federally active advocacy arm (PIAPAC, Advocacy Day) and an elected leadership pipeline refreshed with Mark Suhr as President in October 2025 and a new VP of Corporate Partnerships (Barbara Lecker) hired in February 2026 to accelerate non-dues revenue.

Name

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

Legal name

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

Website

https://pianational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PIA is a 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 1931 that represents independent U.S. insurance agents with member benefits spanning insurance products, professional certifications, agency operations tools, and a vetted technology and carrier partner ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from independent insurance agents and agencies across 50 states, Puerto Rico, and D.C.
2. Insurance Product Sales Commissions: PIA earns commissions from selling insurance products to members including cyber insurance (12.5% commission rate), flood insurance, E&O insurance, and commercial lines products.
3. Publications and Advertising: Revenue from PIA Connection Magazine advertising (print), PIA National Newsline email newsletter sponsorships, and the annual Agency Marketing Guide publication.
4. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Revenue from corporate sponsors including PIA National Supporters program, PIA Pinnacle Partners, PIA Carrier Council membership, and event sponsorships for Advocacy Day and National Awards.
5. Education and Certification: Revenue from CPIA (Certified Professional Insurance Agent) designation programs, continuing education courses, prelicensing courses through ExamFX, and education events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PIA is a national 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association serving independent insurance agents across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and D.C. It sells annual memberships that bundle access to E&O and cyber liability insurance products, flood and commercial lines market access programs, the CPIA professional designation, agency operations tools, technology partner integrations through the PIA Tech Council, and federal/state advocacy representation. The association also operates a print magazine, advertising/sponsorship programs, and certification/continuing education courses as separate revenue-generating offerings.

Product overview

PIA (National Association of Professional Insurance Agents) is a trade association founded in 1931 representing independent insurance agents. Its member-facing offering is not a single unified software product but rather a broad portfolio of member benefits organized across four core pillars: (1) Insurance Products to Sell — including E&O insurance, Cyber Liability Insurance, PIA Cyber Insurance, Flood Insurance (with The Hartford), Commercial Lines Market Access, Workers' Compensation & BOP Insurance, PIA Propeller, PIA Breeze, PIA Market Access, and Rainbow Insurance; (2) Education & Certifications — including the CPIA Designation, Trusted Risk Advisor Certification, ExamFX Prelicensing, and CSR Sales Master Class; (3) Agency Operations Tools — including PIA Ascend, 401(k) Program, Telematics Fleet Safety, IdealTraits, OMNIA Employee Profiling, AVYST eForms Wizard, ACORD Forms Licenses, UPS Program, Rough Notes Advantage Plus; and (4) Technology & Marketing — including the PIA Tech Council (with technology partner ecosystem), PIA DMV Direct Marketing Vault, and PIA Connection Magazine. PIA also operates advocacy (PIAPAC, Advocacy Day), awards, and a carrier council (Winning@Work programs) as member value services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PIA Carrier Council: Council focused on relationships and collaboration with insurance carriers.
• PIA Technology Council
• PIA Ascending Leaders Council

Products and services

• E&O Insurance
• Cyber Liability Insurance
• PIA Cyber Insurance (to sell)
• PIA Flood Insurance with The Hartford
• PIA Commercial Lines Market Access
• PIA Propeller
• PIA Breeze
• PIA Market Access
• Rainbow Insurance
• PIA DMV (Direct Marketing Vault)
• Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) Designation
• Trusted Risk Advisor Certification
• ExamFX Prelicensing Courses
• Insurance CSR Sales Master Class
• PIA Ascend
• PIA 401(k) Program
• Telematics-Enabled Fleet Safety Services
• IdealTraits Hiring Platform
• OMNIA Employee Profiling
• AVYST eForms Wizard
• ACORD End User Licenses
• PIA Connection Magazine

Quantifiable outcome

• 8x ROI achieved by an East Coast agency with 11 employees using AI for routine calls within two months
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rainbow MGAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership offering an exclusive profit-sharing opportunity that empowers independent agents in the small-business market. Launched in 2025 as part of PIA's new corporate sponsorship efforts.
• The HartfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership providing flood insurance program to PIA members. The Hartford is one of the largest flood insurance writers in the country, having written flood insurance through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program for over three decades. Now in its 14th year, the program offers easy enrollment and preferred commission rates.
• Nationwide Insurance Independent Contractors Association (NIICA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation representing Nationwide Insurance agents transitioning to independent agent status. Under the agreement, NIICA's hundreds of members across the nation became members of PIA. Nationwide announced in 2018 its decision to shift entirely to an independent agency distribution model.
• ACORDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint program to provide qualifying PIA member agencies with complimentary license to use ACORD Forms. ACORD maintains a library of over 850 forms used throughout the global insurance industry. PIA National funds ACORD Form end user licenses for member agencies with annual group gross P&C revenue under $50 million.
• ABAIS Insurance Services / Great American E&S Insurance CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIA and ABAIS Insurance Services worked with Great American E&S Insurance Company (rated A+ by A.M. Best) to create a cyber insurance program tailor-made for small and mid-sized businesses. The PIA enhanced cyber insurance policy covers first- and third-party loss for common cyber risks including social engineering, funds transfer fraud, ransomware, and data breach.
• FinsecaminorOthersNational nonprofit organization representing financial professionals and insurers. Barbara Lecker, PIA's new VP of Corporate Partnerships, previously served as VP of Corporate Partnerships at Finseca.
• National UnderwriterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for annual National Underwriter/PIA Independent Agent Study conducted since 2017, providing insights into demographics, books of business, and challenges of independent P&C insurance agents throughout the U.S.
• PIA National Carrier Council MemberscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoint effort of leading insurance carriers and PIA to develop hands-on tools for PIA members and agents appointed by Partnership carriers. Includes Pinnacle Partners who financially support development of new marketing tools.
• PIA Tech Council PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationCouncil of technology leaders and solution providers including Agency Revolution, amplo/veruna, BrightFire, Cara, Coverflow, CyberFin, Dyad, Ensure Analytics, ePayPolicy, EZLynx, Fulcrum, HawkSoft, inchanted, Infer, Sonant AI, The Intelligent Agent, and Xanatek providing integrated technology solutions for PIA member agencies.
• PIA Partnership CompaniescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe PIA Partnership includes Central Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance, Erie Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, MetLife Auto & Home, National General Insurance, Progressive Insurance, Selective Insurance Group, State Auto Insurance Companies, and The Hanover Insurance Group. These companies support Cyber 101 educational resources for PIA members and their clients.
• NAMIC (National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor insurance industry group supporting the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act legislation to eliminate the Federal Insurance Office. PIA joined NAMIC and other industry groups in supporting this advocacy effort.
• APCICAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance industry group supporting the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act legislation. APCICA joined with PIA, NAMIC, NAIC, IIAA in supporting the bill.
• NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance industry group supporting the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act legislation. NAIC joined with PIA, NAMIC, APCICA, IIAA in supporting the bill.
• IIAA (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance industry group supporting the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act legislation. IIAA joined with PIA, NAMIC, APCICA, NAIC in supporting the bill.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA): NAIFA represents insurance and financial advisors across the U.S., overlapping with PIA in advocacy, professional development, and member services for individual insurance professionals. PIA and NAIFA have previously partnered on leadership development, signaling closely aligned missions.
• Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB): CIAB represents commercial insurance brokers and agents, overlapping with PIA in advocacy and member services but skewed toward larger commercial accounts. Comparable mission (representing intermediary channel) and similar carrier/government relations focus.
• CPCU Society (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters): CPCU Society is a professional community for P&C insurance practitioners, offering the highly respected CPCU designation. It competes with PIA's CPIA and Trusted Risk Advisor certifications for member mindshare and continuing education revenue among independent agents.
• National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU): NAHU represents health insurance agents and brokers, sharing with PIA the trade association model for agents, advocacy, education, and carrier relationships, though focused on health rather than P&C lines.
• National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO): NAPSLO represents wholesale brokers, MGAs, and surplus lines professionals. It shares with PIA the trade association model, exclusive E&O and product access, education, and advocacy role for a specific segment of the insurance distribution channel.
• Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA / Big "I"): IIABA is the larger, more established national trade association representing independent insurance agents in the U.S. It competes with PIA for the same members, advocacy influence, and carrier partnership revenue, making it the single most directly comparable peer.

Emerging players

• American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS): AAIS is an advisory organization serving P&C insurers with statistical, rating, and form filing services. While structurally different from PIA, it is part of the same insurance industry ecosystem that PIA members navigate and serves as a complementary - rather than directly competing - industry body.

Broad incumbents

• LIMRA / LL Global: LIMRA is a major insurance and financial services industry research and member-services organization serving carriers and distributors. It overlaps with PIA on industry research, education, and member support, but serves a broader audience across life, annuities, and retirement.
• American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA): APCIA is the leading national trade association for P&C insurers. While it represents carriers rather than agents, it is a key counterpart to PIA in the same industry and overlapping advocacy and policy work, making it a structurally relevant peer.
• National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC): NAMIC represents mutual insurance carriers rather than agents, but is a recurring coalition partner with PIA on advocacy efforts such as McCarran-Ferguson Restoration. It operates in the same broader insurance industry ecosystem and competes for member mindshare and sponsorship dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PIANational
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PIANational
• Facebookfacebook.com/PIANational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pianational
• Instagraminstagram.com/pianational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 National Association of Professional Insurance Agents