# The Assurance Group

> The Assurance Group (TAG) is a national insurance marketing organization connecting carriers, career agents and independent brokerage agents with consumers, especially seniors. Its business combines life insurance, Medicare products and annuities with lead generation, agent training, appointment setting and agency technology. Founded by Ed Shackelford in 1988, TAG was acquired by Integrity Marketing Group in 2020.

- **Founded:** 1988
- **Headquarters:** Archdale, United States
- **Founders:** Edward L. Shackelford (Founder & CEO)
- **Products:** Life insurance and final expense, Medicare plan options, Annuities and retirement planning, Supplemental health coverage, Leads2Success
- **Notable:** Founded in 1988 as Piedmont Brokerage; adopted The Assurance Group name in 1999., Announced expansion into Boardman, Akron and Cleveland, Ohio, in September 2013., The 2020 acquisition release reported 30 regional offices and nearly 500 retirement seminars annually.

## Products & services

- **Life insurance and final expense** — Distribution of term, universal and other life coverage, including coverage for funeral and burial costs.
- **Medicare plan options** — Agents help consumers review Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement options from insurance carriers.
- **Annuities and retirement planning** — Annuity distribution and retirement-focused financial guidance through appropriately licensed representatives.
- **Supplemental health coverage** — Portfolio includes supplemental health, critical illness and long-term care products.
- **Leads2Success** — Affiliated direct-mail and lead-generation business founded by Beverly Shackelford; acquired with TAG in 2020.
- **Career agency platform** — Career-agent channel offering training, prospecting support, regional leadership and opportunities for qualifying W-2 roles.
- **Agency management technology** — Electronic contracting, consolidated commission statements, reporting, pending-case tracking and lead management.
- **Retirement seminars and appointment setting** — Agent-supported educational events, including shared-cost seminars, plus an in-house appointment-setting service.

## Achievements

- Founded in 1988 as Piedmont Brokerage; adopted The Assurance Group name in 1999.
- Announced expansion into Boardman, Akron and Cleveland, Ohio, in September 2013.
- The 2020 acquisition release reported 30 regional offices and nearly 500 retirement seminars annually.
- The 2020 release projected more than $250 million in annual premium; this was a forecast of premium volume, not reported corporate revenue.
- Acquired by Integrity Marketing Group in October 2020, alongside Leads2Success.

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — On March 31, the North Carolina Business Court dismissed Lorainna Passe’s claims in Britcher v. Assurance Group without prejudice because they had to be asserted as counterclaims in a related action. The ruling did not decide their substantive merits.
- **2026-03** — On March 17, in Assurance Group v. Shackelford, the court granted TAG’s motion to dismiss some amended counterclaims and denied it as to others; the opinion addressed pleadings, not a final trial judgment.
- **2025-05** — Former agents filed the Britcher action on May 22, challenging contract changes and raising commission and employment-related claims, as summarized in the March 2026 opinion.

## Links

- Website: https://assuregrp.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-assurance-group/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/assuregroup
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/assuregrp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAssuranceGroup/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/the-assurance-group
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-18