# Smart Choice®

> Smart Choice® is a Greensboro, North Carolina-based insurance agency network that gives independent agencies access to carriers, products, underwriting help, training, marketing support, and acquisition resources without charging an entry or monthly membership fee. Its network model pools agency production to improve market access and carrier economics while letting agencies retain ownership of their books and businesses.

- **Founded:** 1994
- **Headquarters:** Greensboro, United States
- **Founders:** Douglas S. Witcher (Founder and Chairman of the Board)
- **Team size:** Approximately 290 employees reported in supplied company data; public network materials separately describe a distributed field organization of territory managers and state directors.
- **Products:** Smart Choice Agents Program, Smart Start, Express Markets™, Smart Choice Life, Agency growth support
- **Notable:** Grew from a handful of North Carolina agencies in 1994 to more than 11,000 partnered agencies by 2025., Reached its 10,000th agency partner in January 2024., Added 1,450 agencies and added or expanded 12 national carrier partnerships in 2024.

## Products & services

- **Smart Choice Agents Program** — Subappointment access to personal and commercial carriers, with low production requirements, negotiated commissions, profit-sharing opportunities, and agency ownership of the book.
- **Smart Start** — An online, underwriter-assisted platform for writing personal and commercial business without a direct carrier appointment; published terms state competitive commissions and no premium-volume requirements.
- **Express Markets™** — Rapid direct appointment access to specialty, nonstandard, and excess-and-surplus markets, with no participation fee or production requirement and commissions paid directly to the agency.
- **Smart Choice Life** — Access and support for life insurance, long-term care, disability, and annuity products.
- **Agency growth support** — Product training, sales and marketing resources, local territory managers, commission accounting, technology discounts, and operational guidance.
- **Agency acquisition and perpetuation** — Capital, advisory support, and acquisition options for agencies seeking growth or an ownership transition.

## Achievements

- Grew from a handful of North Carolina agencies in 1994 to more than 11,000 partnered agencies by 2025.
- Reached its 10,000th agency partner in January 2024.
- Added 1,450 agencies and added or expanded 12 national carrier partnerships in 2024.
- Recruited more than 1,500 agencies, completed 36 agency acquisitions, and recorded 8% organic premium growth in 2025.
- Completed more than 60 M&A transactions valued above $170 million during Andrew Caldwell's decade as president, according to the 2025 CEO announcement.
- Named an Inc. Power Partner in each of the program's first four years through 2025.
- Earned Insurance Business America All-Star recognition in 2025.
- Founder Doug Witcher was inducted into Insurance Business America's Hall of Fame in 2019.

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — Reported a ninth consecutive year of agency growth: more than 1,500 recruits in 2025, 8% organic premium growth, 36 acquisitions, and over 11,150 active agencies.
- **2025-11** — Added senior M&A specialists Mike Strakhov and Morgan Harriss to expand agency acquisition and succession capabilities.
- **2025-09** — Reached 11,000 partnered agencies and received Insurance Business America All-Star recognition.
- **2025-04** — Named longtime president Andrew Caldwell CEO; founder Doug Witcher moved to chairman of the board.
- **2025-02** — Reported record 2024 growth, including 1,450 new agencies, 12 added or expanded national carrier relationships, and more than $140 million in acquisitions.
- **2024-05** — Closed $142 million in senior credit facilities, including a $132 million term loan and $10 million revolver.

## Links

- Website: https://www.smartchoiceagents.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smart-choice
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/smartchoicewin
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/smartchoiceagents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smartchoiceagentsnc

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/smart-choice
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13