What AIA Trust does

AIA Trust is a non-profit trust entity established in 1952 and headquartered in Washington, DC, affiliated with The American Institute of Architects (AIA). Its stated purpose is to develop and offer insurance and benefit programs and to serve as a risk management resource for AIA members and components. The Trust works with independent consultants to evaluate, select, and monitor insurance and benefit programs against strict criteria covering quality, value, financial stability, service, coverage, and (since 2021) ESG investment policies.

The Trust operates a broad product portfolio across four pillars: insurance (professional liability, cyber, business owners, health, dental, life, disability, auto/home, travel, pet, long-term care), retirement (multiple 401(k) variants, annuities, cash balance plans), legal services (Legaline hotline and the AIA Trust Legal Network of A/E attorneys), and continuing education (webinars, AIA Trust Week, self-assessment tests). Notable technology components include the AI-Backed Contract Review Tool (Contract Sifter) for scanning professional service contracts, the Climate Risk Factsheet Tool providing site-specific 100-year climate hazard analysis across 8 hazards (co-developed with Marsh McLennan), and a Product Finder Tool for guided product discovery. Underwriting and program administration are delivered through carrier partnerships with Victor Insurance Managers, New York Life, Equitable Financial, MetLife, Principal Financial Group, Get Kasa, and others.

The Trust's business model is commission and fee-based: it earns revenue from insurance program providers and partner carriers rather than from AIA dues or member fees. Distribution is exclusively through the AIA membership channel and its components (local and state chapters), supplemented by direct phone sales, partner-provider websites, an insurance broker database, and a self-serve Product Finder. The organization is governed by a board of seven trustees (six AIA members plus one AIA component executive) appointed by the AIA President and is led by Executive Director Elizabeth Wolverton, MPA (appointed 2022, the Trust's third leader), supported by a small staff.

Name

AIA Trust

Legal name

AIA Trust

Website

https://theaiatrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AIA Trust is a non-profit affiliate of The American Institute of Architects that curates and distributes insurance, retirement, legal, and risk management programs exclusively to AIA members and components, earning commissions from partner carriers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Liability Insurance

NAICS

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

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI)

Keywords

• Professional liability insurance
• Risk management services
• Retirement planning programs
• Architect member benefits
• Continuing education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Program Administration: AIA Trust evaluates, selects, and monitors insurance and benefit programs for AIA members. Revenue derived from commissions and fees from insurance program providers. The Trust receives no dues dollars and is not a source of revenue for AIA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AIA Trust curates, administers, and delivers a portfolio of insurance, retirement, legal, and education programs exclusively for members of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and their firms. The offerings span professional liability, life, disability, health, auto/home, business overhead expense insurance, 401(k) and retirement planning, legal services, and continuing education, delivered through vetted partner providers such as New York Life, Equitable, MetLife, and Victor Insurance Managers.

Product overview

AIA Trust is a risk management resource for AIA members offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products, retirement plans, legal services, and continuing education. The insurance offerings are split into individual products (travel, dental, pet, long-term care, disability, life, AD&D, auto/home) and company products (health, professional liability, cyber liability, business owners, employee disability/life). Retirement solutions include various 401(k) plans (Owners, Safe Harbor, New Comparability, Component), annuities (Structured Capital Strategies, Investment Edge), and Cash Balance Plans through Equitable Financial. Legal services comprise Legaline (members-only legal information service) and the Legal Network of A/E attorneys. Continuing education includes free webinars and self-assessment tests. A notable tool is the Climate Risk Factsheet providing site-specific 100-year climate hazard projections. Professional liability insurance is administered by Victor Insurance Managers with an AI-backed contract review tool for risk mitigation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Legaline: A members-only legal information service connecting AIA members and components with experienced A/E attorneys for practical guidance on risk, contracts, and day-to-day business questions.
• AIA Trust Legal Network

Products and services

• Professional Liability Insurance

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Victor Insurance Managers LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers AIA Trust's Professional Liability Insurance program, providing coordinated solution integrating risk management resources with comprehensive insurance program. Offers AI-backed contract review tool, risk mitigation credits, and exclusive seminars. Long-standing partner placing member liability coverage.
• Victor Insurance/CNAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Business Owner's Policy and professional liability coverage for AIA member firms. Offers broader coverage than standard market policies with member-specific pricing. Co-sponsors component grants with AIA Trust.
• New York Life Insurance CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationUnderwrites Group Term Life Insurance, AD&D coverage, and Business Overhead Disability Insurance for AIA members. Rated A++ by A.M. Best. Provides group rates exclusive to AIA members.
• New York Life Insurance CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationUnderwrites disability income insurance and business overhead disability insurance for AIA members at group rates.
• Equitable Financial Life Insurance CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides retirement savings plans and distribution options through Members Retirement Program. Offers 401(k) variants, variable annuities (Investment Edge, Structured Capital Strategies), and financial planning. Over 50 years experience with association members, 30+ years with AIA architects.
• MetLifecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides dental insurance coverage for AIA members and component executives with guaranteed approval. Offers 100% preventive care coverage and 30-45% savings with in-network dentists.
• Get Kasa (formerly Pendella)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationPartners with AIA Trust to provide health insurance marketplace for members and firms. Offers licensed benefits advisors, group health/dental/vision, individual medical, HRAs, HSAs, and plan comparisons.
• Global Travel PlussecondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides annual emergency medical assistance services for AIA members traveling 100+ miles from home or abroad. Unlimited trips, no financial limits, no pre-existing condition exclusions.
• Farmers Insurance ChoicesecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides auto, home, and other property insurance through Farmers Insurance Choice platform. Allows members to compare quotes from multiple insurers with exclusive member discount code FMR.
• Long Term Care Resources (LTCR)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides long-term care insurance marketplace access for AIA members. Monitors top 20+ carriers, selects best options, offers LTCR Plus service for navigating care needs.
• Spot Pet InsurancesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides pet health insurance with 10% member discount plus additional 10% multi-pet discount. No network restrictions, up to 90% reimbursement, no lifetime caps.
• Travel Insurance Select (USI Affinity)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides travel and trip cancellation insurance through Travel Insurance Select. Offers three coverage levels including trip cancellation, medical evacuation, and emergency assistance.
• Principal Financial GroupsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationUnderwrites Long-Term Disability Insurance plan offered at competitive group rates for AIA member firms with 5+ employees.
• ProWriters (Victor Insurance subsidiary)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides cyber liability insurance specifically designed for small and mid-sized architecture firms. Offers multiple quotes from top cyber markets with first-party and third-party coverage.
• Marsh McLennancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with AIA Trust on Climate Risk Factsheet tool providing site-specific climate hazard analysis. Marsh's expertise in risk consulting combined with AIA Trust's member access delivers climate analytics to architects.
• A/E Construction Law Firms (Legal Network)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurated network of experienced A/E construction attorneys across the country helping AIA members find appropriate legal support. Firms can enroll in the network.
• AIA/CEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with AIA/CES to provide continuing education opportunities for AIA members. AIA Trust offers learning units in firm management, risk management, and financial management.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HUB International: Mid-large global insurance brokerage with professional services and association practice areas. Competes with AIA Trust for design firm and association-affiliated insurance placement, particularly in the mid-market segment.
• Brown & Brown: Diversified insurance brokerage with programs serving professional associations and design firms. Operates as a broad incumbent that competes for the same association-channel insurance business AIA Trust serves exclusively for AIA.
• Arthur J. Gallagher: Large global insurance brokerage with a dedicated professional services practice serving architecture, engineering, and law firms. Overlaps with AIA Trust across professional liability, benefits, and risk management product lines for design firms.
• Marsh McLennan: Global insurance brokerage and risk consulting firm that partners with AIA Trust on the Climate Risk Factsheet tool. Operates as a broad incumbent that competes for the same insurance placement and risk advisory business AIA Trust channels to specialty carriers.
• Aon: Global insurance brokerage serving all professions including architecture and design firms. Competes broadly with AIA Trust's insurance intermediation function, especially for mid-size and large architecture firms that may route benefits through corporate brokers.
• Lockton: Largest independent insurance brokerage globally, with specialty practices serving professional services firms including architects. Competes for the same insurance placement and benefits brokerage work that AIA Trust curates for AIA members.

Direct peers

• CAMICO: Provides specialty professional liability insurance and risk management resources specifically for CPAs and accounting firms. Closely parallels AIA Trust's model of curating profession-specific insurance programs (including professional liability, cyber, and practice protection) for a defined professional membership through long-standing carrier partnerships.
• Victor Insurance Managers: Specialty managing general agent that administers AIA Trust's professional liability program and develops the AI-backed Contract Sifter tool. Operates as a direct peer in design-professional liability insurance and serves architecture firms directly, overlapping with AIA Trust's core offering.
• American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Insurance Programs: Professional society offering insurance and benefits programs to its landscape architect members. Mirrors AIA Trust's structure — an association-affiliated insurance program serving design professionals — and addresses the same architectural-adjacent market.
• NSPE Professional Liability Insurance Program: Insurance program administered through the National Society of Professional Engineers, providing professional liability and benefits products to engineer members. Same model as AIA Trust: society-curated insurance for a defined profession, often in partnership with specialty carriers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aiatrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/AIATrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aia-trust

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 AIA Trust