J. Edward Knight Insurance

What J. Edward Knight Insurance does

J. Edward Knight Insurance (legal entity J. Edward Knight & Co.) is a family-owned independent insurance agency founded in 1898 and headquartered in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The firm operates a broker model, representing approximately 30 insurance carriers — including Acadia, Allstate, Chubb, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, and Travelers — and matches individuals and small-to-medium businesses with carrier-specific coverage across personal lines (auto, home, motorcycle, boat, life, flood, earthquake, travel, pet, personal liability) and commercial lines (business owners, commercial auto, property, workers compensation, general liability, data breach, management liability, inland marine, and specialized packages for contractors, restaurants, salons, apartment owners, liquor liability, golf courses, and commercial marine). Distribution is hybrid: seven physical offices across Midcoast Maine (Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, Vinalhaven, Rockland, Bath, Wiscasset, Damariscotta), an in-house claims department, phone-based sales and service, and a digital layer comprising online quote forms, a secure client services portal hosted via secure-one.co, and a knowledge-center content site. The agency is licensed in seven states — Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and Colorado — though physical presence is concentrated in Maine.

Name

J. Edward Knight Insurance

Legal name

J. Edward Knight & Co.

Website

https://jedwardknight.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

J. Edward Knight Insurance is a family-owned independent insurance agency founded in 1898, representing approximately 30 carriers across seven Midcoast Maine offices and serving individuals and small-to-medium businesses with personal and commercial coverage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

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

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines) (FSAEADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Specialty (Hull/P&I/Cargo) (FSAJAGAJ), Management Liability (D&O/EPL/Fiduciary) (FSAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Independent insurance agency
• Personal insurance coverage
• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Multi-carrier insurance agent
• Maine insurance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boothbay Harbor

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Insurance Agency Commissions: As an independent insurance agency, J. Edward Knight earns commissions from multiple insurance carrier relationships. They represent approximately 30 insurance companies including Acadia, Allstate, Chubb, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, Travelers, and others. Revenue is generated through commissions on insurance policies sold and serviced for personal lines (auto, home, life, motorcycle, boat) and commercial lines (business owners, commercial auto, workers compensation, general liability).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

J. Edward Knight Insurance (legal entity J. Edward Knight & Co.) is an independent insurance agency founded in 1898 that represents approximately 30 insurance carriers to deliver personal and commercial insurance brokerage services. The firm operates seven physical offices across Midcoast Maine and pairs carrier selection with in-house claims handling to serve individuals, families, and businesses in its regional market.

Product overview

J. Edward Knight Insurance is an independent insurance agency operating as a broker model, representing multiple insurance carriers to provide personalized coverage solutions. The company offers two primary product lines: Personal Insurance (covering auto, home, motorcycle, flood, earthquake, life, travel, and pet insurance) and Commercial Insurance (covering commercial auto, property, workers compensation, general liability, data breach, and industry-specific coverages for contractors, restaurants, and salons). Additional specialized products include Commercial Marine Insurance for vessels and marine operations, and Golf Course Insurance. The company operates as an independent agency structure, matching clients with optimal coverage from its carrier network rather than offering a single proprietary insurance product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Insurance
• Commercial Insurance
• Commercial Marine Insurance
• Golf Course Insurance Targeted insurance program for golf courses and country clubs covering property, liability, equipment, and operations-specific exposures.
• Travel Insurance Trip-cancellation, medical, and travel-related coverage products purchased by individual travelers through the agency.
• Pet Insurance Veterinary-cost and pet-health coverage products offered to individual pet owners as a personal-lines specialty.
• Life Insurance Standalone life insurance coverage for individuals and families, navigated as a top-level product on the agency's website.

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• HagertyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Hagerty is an insurance carrier partner for classic car insurance, with J. Edward Knight offering Hagerty classic car insurance through an affiliate link on their website for motorcycle and classic car coverage.
• The David Chapman Insurance AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJ. Edward Knight Insurance announced acquisition of The David Chapman Insurance Agency in May 2026. Sarah Worster (current owner) and John Gallagher (former owner) transition as part of the acquisition, strengthening J. Edward Knight's market presence in the Maine region.
• Spencer E. Gray, Jr. LLC (Spencer Gray Insurance Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerger effective January 1, 2025, with Spencer Gray Insurance Agency merging into J. Edward Knight Insurance. Elizabeth Gray continues serving clients as part of the Bath office team, ensuring seamless transition for Spencer Gray clients.
• Multiple Insurance CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAs an independent agency, J. Edward Knight represents approximately 30 insurance carriers including Acadia, Allstate, Bristol West, Chubb, Concord Group Insurance, Countryway, Dairyland, Foremost, Hagerty, Hanover Insurance, Liberty Mutual, Safeco, MAPFRE, Marine MGA, MEMIC, National General, Ohio Mutual, Patriot Mutual, Patrons Oxford, Progressive, Providence Mutual, Safety Insurance, The Andover Companies, Travelguard, Travelers, Union Mutual Vermont, and Vermont Mutual. These carrier relationships enable the agency to shop multiple markets for customers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Patrons Oxford Insurance Company: Patrons Oxford is one of JEK's carrier partners and a New England mutual property/casualty insurer. It is comparable as a regional insurance counterparty in JEK's carrier portfolio representing the type of relationship JEK manages on behalf of clients.
• Acadia Insurance: Acadia Insurance is a regional commercial lines carrier in JEK's carrier network. It is comparable as a specialty New England commercial carrier representing the kind of niche underwriting partner JEK leverages for commercial accounts.
• Concord Group Insurance: Concord Group is a New England regional carrier in JEK's carrier panel that underwrites personal and commercial lines. It is comparable as a regional insurance counterparty serving the same Midcoast Maine customer base through independent agency distribution.

Direct peers

• Cross Insurance: Cross Insurance is a large New England-based independent insurance agency with deep roots in Maine and a multi-line personal/commercial offering comparable to JEK's product breadth. It is one of the largest regional competitors to JEK in the same Midcoast Maine territory.
• Burns & Wilcox: Burns & Wilcox is a large national specialty insurance brokerage placing complex personal and commercial lines through carrier relationships. It is comparable as a high-touch specialty brokerage competing for the same marine, high-value home, and commercial niche business JEK targets in New England.
• Quirk Insurance Agency: Quirk Insurance is a family-owned independent insurance agency in Maine offering personal and commercial lines through multiple carriers. It is comparable as a directly competitive Midcoast/Maine independent agency of similar size and structure to JEK.

Broad incumbents

• USI Insurance Services: USI is a top-10 national insurance brokerage with a broad personal and commercial offering. It is comparable as a large-scale multi-carrier brokerage that competes with independent regional agencies like JEK for mid-market and commercial accounts in Maine.
• Hub International: Hub International is a major global insurance brokerage with a strong New England presence. It is comparable as a large multi-line brokerage competing for the same commercial and personal lines business JEK serves, but at meaningfully greater scale.

Regional players

• Maine Mutual Group (MMG Insurance): MMG Insurance is a regional mutual carrier headquartered in Maine offering personal and commercial lines through independent agents. It is comparable as a Maine-based insurance distributor with overlapping product lines, though operating under a different mutual vs brokerage structure.
• Frankenmuth Insurance: Frankenmuth Insurance is a regional mutual carrier that distributes through independent agents in the Northeast and Midwest. It is comparable as a carrier partner archetype operating in JEK's distribution channel and serving similar small-commercial accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jedwardknight
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/j-edward-knight

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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. Edward Knight Insurance