What Affiliate Guard does

Affiliate Guard (AGuard) is a family-owned, U.S.-licensed insurance agency and broker founded in 2006 that exclusively serves the fitness industry. The company works with multiple A++ to A-rated insurance carriers to place general liability, professional liability, equipment, business interruption, flood, commercial umbrella, and accident/medical coverage for fitness businesses. Its core product surface is not a technology platform but a brokerage service: AGuard underwrites and assembles custom policies, supports claims, and provides ongoing policy management. The company is licensed in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and reports having served more than 5,000 (and in some materials over 10,000) fitness businesses since inception.

AGuard generates revenue primarily through insurance carrier commissions on policies placed, and has expanded its product surface with AGuard Health, its own-branded health insurance program offering nationwide PPO and accident plans (accident plans starting at approximately $98/month). The go-to-market combines a consultative, sales-led direct sales motion (phone, email, online application) with a community- and content-led motion built around an educational blog, free downloadable templates and checklists, AED awareness resources, and a monthly newsletter ("The Floor Report") reaching 5,000+ gym operators. The company also monetizes adjacent support services such as QuickApp background checks and a monthly marketing-campaign subscription for gym owners. Customer segments are entirely SMB fitness operators spanning CrossFit/functional fitness, MMA/jiu-jitsu/boxing, yoga/pilates, youth sports programs, personal trainers, franchise locations, and fitness events.

Operationally, AGuard is founder-led by Vaughn Vernon (22 years of insurance industry experience) and operates as a privately held, family-owned business with no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity. There is no proprietary software, app, API, or AI component described in source materials; the technology stack is limited to a WordPress-based marketing site, a client application portal for quotes, and standard email/social channels. Distribution is entirely direct-to-customer with no intermediary channel partners.

Name

Affiliate Guard

Legal name

Affiliate Guard

Website

https://affiliateguard.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Affiliate Guard (AGuard) is a family-owned U.S. insurance brokerage founded in 2006 that specializes in placing liability, property, and health coverage exclusively for fitness businesses such as CrossFit gyms, martial arts studios, and yoga studios. It serves SMB operators across all 50 states through direct sales backed by content marketing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Other Insurance Related Activities (52429)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

Mid-Market Commercial Package (Package Policies) (FSAJAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Umbrella Insurance (FSAJAMAK), Small Group Health Insurance (2–50/100) (FSAIAFAD)

Keywords

• Gym insurance brokerage
• Fitness business insurance
• Commercial liability coverage
• Professional liability insurance
• Insurance risk management

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Services: AGuard acts as an insurance agency/broker, working with multiple insurance carriers to provide competitive policies to fitness businesses. The company earns commissions from insurance carriers for policies placed. Customers pay insurance premiums which are passed to the underlying carriers, while AGuard provides the advisory, customization, and claims support services.
2. AGuard Health Insurance: Launched their own health insurance program offering nationwide PPO plans for gym business owners. Accident plans start at $98/month. Plans are customizable based on needs and budget, with agents providing ongoing support throughout the policy lifecycle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Affiliate Guard (AGuard) is a licensed insurance agency and broker that places custom-built commercial insurance policies for fitness businesses with multiple A++ to A-rated carriers. The company operates in all 50 U.S. states and D.C., serving CrossFit gyms, MMA/Jiu Jitsu, yoga/pilates studios, youth sports programs, personal trainers, and fitness franchises. Beyond core insurance products (general liability, professional liability, equipment, business interruption, flood, umbrella, accident/medical), AGuard offers its own AGuard Health Insurance program with nationwide PPO plans.

Product overview

AGuard (Affiliate Guard) is a licensed insurance agency/broker dedicated to the fitness industry, operating in all 50 U.S. states and D.C. Since 2006, they have helped over 10,000 gyms get personalized coverage. The company offers a portfolio of insurance products including General Liability Insurance (covering $1M/$3M or $1M/$2M limits), Professional Liability Insurance, Business Interruption Insurance, Equipment Coverage (replacement or depreciated value), AGuard Health Insurance (nationwide PPO plans from $98/month), Flood Insurance, Commercial Umbrella Insurance, and Accident/Medical Insurance. Beyond core insurance products, AGuard provides support services including QuickApp background checks, Monthly Marketing Campaigns, a Template Library (waivers, incident reports, emergency procedures), an Insurance Quote Comparison Guide, AED Awareness Resources, and a Client Application Portal for obtaining custom coverage. The company works with A++ to A-rated insurance carriers and specializes in covering diverse fitness businesses including CrossFit gyms, MMA/Jiu Jitsu facilities, yoga studios, martial arts gyms, youth sports programs, personal trainers, and home garage gyms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AGuard Health: The company's own health insurance program offering nationwide PPO plans, accident plans starting as low as $98 per month, and customizable health coverage for gym businesses.

Products and services

• General Liability Insurance Commercial insurance coverage that protects gym and fitness business owners from claims involving bodily injuries and property damages, with $1M/$3M or $1M/$2M per occurrence and aggregate limits available. Designed for fitness facilities including CrossFit gyms, MMA/Jiu Jitsu studios, yoga and pilates studios, and youth sports programs.
• Professional Liability Insurance Insurance coverage that protects gym owners and staff from claims of negligence, misrepresentation, or inaccurate advice in the provision of professional services. Targeted at fitness businesses where coaching, training, and instructional services create professional liability exposure.
• Business Interruption Insurance Coverage designed to replace lost income when a fitness business is forced to close temporarily due to covered events such as fires, water damage, vandalism, or break-ins. Baseline coverage is $50,000 over four months; recommended coverage equals four times monthly sales. Typically adds $600-$700 per year to premiums.
• Equipment Coverage Coverage for fitness and office equipment at replacement cost (new equipment) or depreciated value. Protects gym owners against loss of barbells, racks, cardio equipment, and office infrastructure.
• AGuard Health Insurance Health insurance program offering nationwide PPO plans for gym business owners, with accident plans starting at $98 per month. Plans are customizable based on customer needs and budget, with agents providing ongoing support throughout the policy lifecycle.
• Flood Insurance Separate flood insurance policy for fitness businesses, since most commercial policies do not include water damage coverage. Addresses flood-related property loss exposure for gym locations.
• Commercial Umbrella Insurance Additional liability coverage beyond base policy limits, commonly required by landlords at $5M-$10M levels. Provides excess coverage for catastrophic liability claims exceeding standard policy limits.
• Accident / Medical Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ businesses served since 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Asher MedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party peptide company that gyms sometimes partner with for peptide-related services. AGuard provides warning about liability risks of such partnerships rather than endorsing the relationship.
• Matthew Becker / gymlawyers.comcoreOthersRecommended legal resource for gym owners. Becker provides legal guidance on waivers, lease agreements, and liability protection. AGuard consistently recommends consulting Becker for legal matters.
• The Brand X MethodminorOthersYouth-specific coaching certification program founded by CrossFit Kids pioneers Jeff and Mikki Martin. Recommended by AGuard for coaches working with children.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sadler Sports Insurance: Sports and fitness insurance specialist offering coverage for gyms, teams, and athletic facilities. Directly comparable as a niche broker targeting the same fitness customer base as AGuard with similar lines like general liability and accident coverage.
• K&K Insurance Group: Specialty broker providing insurance for sports, recreation, and fitness organizations. Closely aligned with AGuard in serving sports/fitness risks with tailored coverage, now part of Aon but historically a specialist player comparable in niche focus.
• SportsInsurance.com: Online sports and fitness insurance marketplace offering liability and accident coverage for gyms, teams, and events. Comparable to AGuard as a fitness-specific insurance provider, though more transactional and less relationship-driven.
• Insure Fitness Group: Insurance broker focused exclusively on fitness businesses including gyms, studios, and personal trainers. Direct competitor with similar product offerings (general liability, professional liability, equipment coverage) and target customer profile.

Emerging players

• Next Insurance: Digital SMB insurer offering instant-bound commercial policies for fitness, retail, and other verticals. Comparable as a competitor for fitness business insurance but differentiates via technology and direct carrier relationships rather than brokerage.
• CoverWallet: Tech-enabled digital insurance broker serving small businesses with streamlined online quoting. Overlaps with AGuard in serving SMB customers needing commercial liability, but uses a self-service digital model rather than niche specialization.
• Simply Business: Online insurance marketplace connecting small businesses with carrier quotes. Comparable as a competitor for fitness business insurance but uses a marketplace model rather than a niche-specialist brokerage approach.

Others

• Bold Penguin: Commercial insurance exchange platform enabling brokers and agents to quote small business risks efficiently. Adjacent comparison to AGuard as infrastructure serving the commercial insurance distribution ecosystem, though not a direct fitness competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Markel Corporation: Large specialty insurer with a dedicated sports, fitness, and recreation division. Comparable to AGuard as a specialty fitness-risk underwriter, but operates at much greater scale with broader portfolio beyond fitness.
• Hiscox: Established global specialty insurer with a strong small business division in the U.S. Comparable to AGuard in serving SMBs with liability and professional coverage, but offers broader products across many verticals rather than fitness-only specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AffiliateGuard
• Instagraminstagram.com/aguard.insurance?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/affiliate-guard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Affiliate Guard