A Look at We Insure Franchise And Renegade Insurance: The Better Option for Agents

TLTR: This article compares and contrasts the We Insure Franchise and Renegade Insurance from an agent-centric viewpoint so that you can decide on which is the best one for your needs. The article compares business models, offerings, earning potential, and costs related to both entities.

The insurance industry has been notoriously slow at adapting digitally. However, with the growing prominence of technology in insurance, numerous opportunities have emerged. Independent agents can now choose from a wide range of possibilities and pursue a career in insurance.

Here, we look at two such options: Renegade and We Insure Franchise. Both entities have similar offerings but vastly different models for starting and running an independent insurance agency. Let’s see how they compare with each other.

How are We Insure and Renegade Insurance different?

We Insure Group (previously We Insure Florida) runs on a franchise basis, with a “you sell, we service” model that offers market access and technology to independent insurance agents. They have simplified the insurance buying experience for consumers where having partnerships with the insurance providers allowed them to create one place for the clients to have one conversation and find the best option for them.

They offer agents end-to-end support and robust franchise opportunities. As a result, there is a retail requirement and several obligations that the franchise owners must fulfill. They also charge agents under several headings, including franchise fees, and technology costs.

Renegade is a fast-growing plug-and-play insurtech agency that is backed by industry-defining investors. They believe that insurtech disruption in the industry will be the factor that allows agents to truly thrive, and they aim to be an independent insurance solution with agents front and center.

Renegade does not operate on a franchise model but rather as an independent insurance agency that provides technology, marketing support, and back-end support. They provide these services at a certain cost and are looking to enable agents to focus completely on selling.

How do We Insure Agents and Renegade Insurance Agents make money?

We Insure agents get commission based on each policy they write. Their commission split is either 80/20 on new business, 50/50 on renewal (Select Option), or 70/30 on new business, 65/35 on renewal (Premier Option).

Renegade agents earn on a similar model. However, the splits start from 80/20 and go up to 95/5 depending on the premium for personal lines where the splits can go to 50/50 for renewals. Likewise, the split goes up to 60/40 on new business and 40/60 on renewal respectively. Agents also have the option of selling multiple lines of business, including life, health, personal, and commercial insurance.

How much do We Insure Franchise and Renegade Insurance charge you?

We Insure, being a franchise business, has an estimated initial total investment of anywhere between $49K – $79K, depending on franchise programs, rental costs, upfront franchise fees, and more. They offer discounts to military veterans, but they charge fees under various headings, such as:

• Marketing and Signage Costs
• Technology Fees
• Compliance Fees
• Legal Fees, and more.

Maintaining retail space also adds rental charges and insurance costs.

Renegade charges agents a monthly service fee, which covers things like:

• Marketing
• Technology access
• Client servicing
• Carrier Access, etc.

Renegade has no retail requirements, so an agency owner can operate at zero rental costs. There are no hidden costs or franchise fees, making Renegade an attractive option with a low financial barrier to entry.

What is the market potential for We Insure and Renegade Insurance?

We Insure offers market access to over 150 carriers. They are primarily based out of Florida but are expanding nationwide. They also offer their agents servicing assistance and back-end support, allowing agents to focus on selling.

Renegade is partnered with slightly fewer carriers—just over 90. It’s still a substantial number, and their market access is wide enough to whet the appetite of a large variety of agency owners. No need of retail space and full back-end support also means that agents can focus more on revenue-generating activities, that is, selling.

What is the better choice: Renegade Insurance or We Insure Franchise?

We Insure offers market access to over 150 carriers. They are primarily based out of Florida but are expanding nationwide. They also offer their agents servicing assistance and back-end support, allowing agents to focus on selling.

Renegade is partnered with slightly fewer carriers—just over 90. It’s still a substantial number, and their market access is wide enough to whet the appetite of a large variety of agency owners. No need of retail space and full back-end support also means that agents can focus more on revenue-generating activities, that is, selling.

In a nutshell

We Insure franchise works on a proven business model, but the initial investment is very high. Similar to Goosehead Insurance Franchise, agents need to be sure about commitment before joining the franchise, and there are several costs and headings that agents must pay regularly, regardless of sales. Renegade on the other hand does not require high initial investment or retail requirements. There is no franchise fee, and agents can run an independent insurance agency from the comfort of their couch.