First State Insurance Agency

What First State Insurance Agency does

First State Insurance Agency is a privately held independent insurance agency founded in 1956 as Saline State Insurance in Wilber, Nebraska, and rebranded in 2004. Operating as part of the First State Family alongside First State Bank Nebraska and First State Financial, the agency sells personal, commercial, farm, crop, trucking, poultry barn, and life and health insurance through seven physical branches across eastern Nebraska (Beatrice, Fairbury, Hickman, Lincoln, Plattsmouth, Wilber, and Yutan) supported by the CSR24 online portal and a branded mobile app.

The agency earns revenue primarily through carrier commissions on policies placed with multiple AM Best 'A' Rated insurance providers, functioning as an independent intermediary rather than a carrier itself. Its product portfolio includes differentiated niche programs — notably Crop 360 (precision farming-focused crop insurance with livestock risk management) and the Contract Poultry Growers National Commercial Program — alongside standard commercial lines (general liability, cyber, workers' compensation) and personal lines (home, auto, recreational vehicles). All products are quote-based with annual billing, and digital self-service via CSR24 covers policy changes, claims reporting, and ID card issuance.

Under CEO Britney Davis, who was promoted from intern to Chief Executive Officer in January 2025, the agency has grown from one location with eight team members to seven locations with approximately 30 team members over a decade. The July 2024 acquisition of Gill Insurance Agency in Fairbury signals continued tuck-in M&A in eastern Nebraska. The firm holds no external funding and discloses no revenue, operating as a community-rooted agency whose competitive position rests on local presence, multi-carrier access, and specialty agricultural product expertise rather than technology differentiation.

Name

First State Insurance Agency

Legal name

First State Insurance Agency

Website

https://neins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First State Insurance Agency is a privately held independent insurance agency founded in 1956, operating seven branches across eastern Nebraska and offering personal, commercial, farm, crop, trucking, poultry barn, and life and health insurance via the CSR24 digital portal and mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage Services

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA)

Keywords

• Personal insurance agency
• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Crop insurance services
• Farm insurance coverage
• Trucking insurance policies

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 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 Agency Commissions: As an independent insurance agency, First State Insurance earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing policies. They partner with multiple AM Best 'A' Rated insurance providers to offer customized coverage options across personal, commercial, farm, crop, trucking, and life/health insurance lines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

First State Insurance Agency is an independent insurance brokerage that sells personal, commercial, farm, crop, trucking, poultry, and life/health insurance policies sourced from multiple AM Best 'A' Rated carriers. The agency distributes insurance through seven community branch offices across eastern Nebraska and the CSR24 digital self-service portal and mobile app, earning commissions from carrier partners for placing and servicing policies.

Product overview

First State Insurance Agency is a full-service independent insurance agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products and services through multiple channels. The company provides Commercial Insurance (including General Liability, Cyber Liability, Property, Trucking, and Workers' Compensation), Personal Insurance (Homeowners, Auto, Motorcycles, Boats, Umbrella), Life and Health Insurance (Term Life, Whole Life, IUL, Medical, Medicare, Group Benefits), Crop 360 (specialized crop insurance with precision farming focus), Farm Insurance, Poultry Barn Insurance, and Trucking Insurance. The company's digital self-service platform, CSR24, provides policyholders with 24/7 access to manage policies, file claims, and access documents via desktop portal and mobile app. The agency operates seven locations in Nebraska and serves customers across six states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crop 360: A comprehensive crop insurance service approach with detailed coverage insights, supplemental product strategy, precision farming focus, young farmer playbook, and livestock risk management.

Products and services

• Commercial Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• Named Champion Tier Agency by EMC Insurance - top 4% of all EMC agencies nationally
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EMC InsurancecoreTechnology or Integration · 19 February 2025Leading commercial property and casualty insurer that recognized First State Insurance Agency as a Champion Tier Agency, placing them in the top 4% of all EMC agencies nationally. Tiers are based on loss ratio, premium volume, premium growth, and premium retention.
• First State Bank NebraskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within the First State Family, serving customers for over 100 years. Part of the integrated financial services offering including insurance, banking, and financial advisory services.
• First State FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the First State Family offering financial services including securities through Securities America, Inc. and advisory services through Securities America Advisors, Inc.
• Multiple AM Best 'A' Rated Insurance CarrierscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with multiple AM Best 'A' Rated insurance providers enabling the independent agency to offer customized coverage options and competitive pricing across all insurance product lines.
• Contract Poultry Growers National Commercial ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized product designed from the ground up specifically for contract poultry farmers. No other product like it on the market today, offering historically low rates and SBA/FSA financing options.
• VGM ForbinminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWeb provider for First State Insurance Agency website. Handles web accessibility issues and website maintenance. Contact: [email protected] or 864-881-2823.
• CSR24coreTechnology or IntegrationDigital self-service portal and mobile application platform enabling customers to manage policies, file claims, and access insurance documents online. Available via web portal and mobile app stores.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Oswald Companies: Cleveland-based independent insurance and risk management brokerage serving Midwest commercial and personal clients. Comparable multi-line independent agency with similar employee scale and product breadth across personal, commercial, and benefits.
• IMA Financial Group: Kansas-based independent insurance brokerage offering commercial, personal, and benefits products across the Midwest. Similar regional independent structure, multi-line product portfolio, and small-to-mid-market customer focus.
• TrueNorth Companies: Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based independent insurance and risk management firm of comparable size and structure. Like First State, it operates a multi-line independent agency model with personal, commercial, and specialty capabilities and serves Midwestern commercial clients.
• M3 Insurance: Madison, Wisconsin-based independent insurance brokerage with similar scale to First State, serving commercial, personal, and benefits clients across the Midwest with a multi-line agency model.

Broad incumbents

• Hylant Group: Toledo, Ohio-based large independent insurance brokerage with national reach. Same independent agency model as First State but operates at much greater scale across personal, commercial, and specialty lines.
• Brown & Brown Insurance: National insurance brokerage that acquires and operates independent agency franchises across the U.S. Represents the strategic acquisition path for agencies like First State and competes for the same carrier production allocations.
• Holmes Murphy & Associates: Large Midwest-based (West Des Moines, Iowa) independent insurance broker serving commercial, personal, and benefits clients across the region. Larger scale than First State but operates in the same independent agency model with similar carrier relationships.
• Marsh McLennan Agency: Middle-market arm of global insurance broker Marsh McLennan, operating through regional independent agency acquisitions. Competes with First State for mid-market commercial accounts and serves as both competitor and potential acquirer.
• Cottingham & Butler: Dubuque, Iowa-based insurance and risk management firm with broader specialty capabilities. Operates a comparable independent agency model serving Midwestern commercial clients, but at materially larger scale than First State.

Others

• EMC Insurance Companies: Carrier partner of First State and parent of the Champion Tier recognition program. While not a direct competitor (EMC underwrites while First State distributes), it shapes First State's product access, commission economics, and growth strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firststateinsurance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 First State Insurance Agency