Butler And Messier

What Butler And Messier does

Butler & Messier Insurance, Inc. is a family-owned, independent insurance agency founded in 1903 and headquartered at 1401 Newport Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with a second office in Cranston. The company operates as a Trusted Choice independent agency representing over 30 major insurance carriers (one source cites 50), and serves individuals, families, and small-to-medium businesses across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Its core function is intermediation: licensed agents compare coverage and pricing across carrier partners and place personal lines (auto, homeowners, renters, condo, flood, recreational vehicle, marine, motorcycle), commercial lines (commercial property, business auto, business owners' package, workers' compensation, professional liability, commercial umbrella, specialty coverages, supplemental employee benefit plans), and life/financial services products (whole, term, universal, and variable life; health; long-term care; disability; umbrella; annuities and mutual funds).

The underlying technology stack is non-proprietary: the agency relies on carrier-provided platforms for quoting, policy management, and claims processing, and operates a website with instant/comparison auto, homeowners, business, life, and high-net-worth quote forms alongside a Progressive policyholder self-service portal. No AI, data, or proprietary platform capabilities are disclosed. The revenue model is commission-based: Butler & Messier earns carrier commissions on placed and maintained policies, distributed across 37 employees (all engaged with the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket). Pricing is quote-based and varies by individual risk profile, with bundling incentives of up to 20% off combined premiums and documented individual customer savings of $800-$1,200+. Distribution is sales-led via phone, walk-in, and website lead capture, supplemented by community marketing, Facebook, content/blog, and referral/word-of-mouth channels.

Name

Butler And Messier

Legal name

Butler & Messier Insurance, Inc.

Website

https://butlerandmessier.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned independent insurance agency founded in 1903 in Pawtucket, RI, representing 30+ major carriers to provide personal, commercial, and life insurance to individuals, families, and SMBs across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

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

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Independent insurance agency
• Personal insurance
• Commercial insurance
• Life insurance
• Insurance brokerage

Headquarters

HQ city

Pawtucket

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Commissions: Agency earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing and maintaining policies for customers across auto, home, business, and life insurance lines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Butler & Messier is an independent insurance agency representing over 30 insurance companies, offering personal lines (auto, home, renters, condo, flood, recreational vehicles, boats, motorcycles), commercial lines (property, business auto, workers' compensation, professional liability, umbrella, specialty coverages, employee benefits), and life and financial services (life, health, long term care, disability, umbrella, financial planning). The agency comparison-shops across its carrier network to match customers with optimal coverage and pricing, with offices in Pawtucket and Cranston, Rhode Island.

Product overview

Butler & Messier is an independent insurance agency operating as a Trusted Choice® agency since 1903. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products through over 30 insurance company partners. Their offerings are organized into three main categories: Personal Insurance (auto, homeowners, renters, condo, flood, recreational vehicle, marine/boat, and motorcycle coverage), Commercial Insurance (commercial property, business auto, business owners' package, workers' compensation, professional liability, commercial umbrella, specialty coverages, and supplemental employee benefit plans), and Life & Financial Services (whole life, term life, universal life, variable life, health, long term care, disability, umbrella liability, and financial planning services including estate planning, annuities, and mutual funds). The agency acts as a comparison-shopping service, matching customers with the optimal carrier and coverage from their partner network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auto Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers can save up to 20% off combined premiums by bundling home and auto policies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Liberty Mutual and Safeco InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Through the Make More Happen Award program, Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance recognized Butler & Messier's community involvement and charitable donations to the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket. The award provided $10,000 for donation to local charity.
• Boys & Girls Club of PawtucketcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 December 2019Butler & Messier has a longstanding relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket. All 37 employees are involved with the Club. The company donated $2,000 ahead of the holidays and received the Make More Happen Award for $10,000 donation to the Club. Bruce Messier serves on the Club's Board of Trustees.
• St. Mary's Home for ChildrenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 July 2019Butler & Messier donated $2,560 to St. Mary's Home for Children through their quarterly Casual for a Cause campaign. The donation supports children in recreational activities.
• A Wish Come True (AWCT)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 May 2019Butler & Messier donated $2,720 to A Wish Come True as part of their Casual for a Cause campaign. The donation will go towards a memorable trip for a child with a life-threatening illness.
• Rhode Island Medical Society (RIMS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2012Butler & Messier was named the preferred partner by the Rhode Island Medical Society to offer insurance products to doctor members. The partnership was established because Butler & Messier has been in business since 1903 and represents over 30 insurance companies, offering a good range of coverages and premiums.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. Comparable as a major brokerage incumbent in the same industry, though operating at vastly larger scale and targeting larger commercial accounts.
• Marsh McLennan: Global insurance brokerage and risk advisory firm. Comparable as a large incumbent operating in the same insurance brokerage space, though focused on enterprise clients rather than retail personal/SMB segments.
• Brown & Brown, Inc. Large national insurance brokerage built on a network of regional agencies. Comparable as a multi-carrier retail brokerage serving personal and commercial lines, though operating at scale that Butler & Messier does not approach.

Others

• Liberty Mutual Insurance: National P&C insurance carrier and one of Butler & Messier's recognized carrier partners (Make More Happen Award co-grantor). Relevant as a key upstream counterparty whose commission terms and direct-channel strategy directly affect the agency's economics.
• Progressive Insurance: National P&C carrier and direct-to-consumer competitor; featured on Butler & Messier's own website via Progressive's policyholder self-service link. Comparable as a leading carrier whose direct-channel investments pressure intermediary commission flows.

Direct peers

• Cross Insurance: Regional independent insurance agency headquartered in Maine with offices throughout New England, including Rhode Island. Directly comparable as a multi-carrier retail agency offering personal, commercial, and life insurance through local offices and producer relationships.
• Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Agency: Regional independent insurance agency headquartered in Rhode Island with similar multi-line offerings (personal, commercial, benefits) and a comparable multi-carrier brokerage model serving Northeast SMBs and families.
• The Horton Group: Multi-generation family-owned independent insurance agency serving the Midwest. Comparable as a long-tenured, family-led agency representing multiple carriers with diversified personal, commercial, and benefits lines.
• Hilb Group: Mid-Atlantic and Southeast independent insurance brokerage built through acquisition of regional agencies. Comparable as a multi-carrier agency platform pursuing organic and inorganic growth in personal and commercial lines.

Regional players

• Amica Insurance: Rhode Island-headquartered mutual insurance carrier selling directly and through agents. Comparable as a regional insurance brand operating in the same geography, though as a carrier rather than a multi-carrier intermediary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ButlerMessierInsurance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Butler And Messier