Business Spotlight: Brown & Brown Insurance

BY REGINA DONATO

Brown & Brown Insurance, a major player in the risk management and insurance industry, isn’t your average large insurance firm. Established in 1939, this family-owned business has grown into a national leader, boasting over 500 branches across the United States. Despite being the fifth largest insurance brokerage in the nation, the core values of a family business—personalized service, commitment, and community focus— remain deeply ingrained in Brown & Brown’s DNA.

Brown & Brown’s story is one woven into the fabric of family. Founded by cousins Adrian Brown and Charles “Cov” Owen, the company has been passed down through generations, with an emphasis on maintaining the core values instilled by its founders. Today, President and CEO J. Powell Brown is a third-generation family member, with J. Hyatt Brown, the second generation, still involved as chairman of the board. While several other family members are also in the business, the Brown’s commitment to a family-oriented work environment extends to all their employees.

Brown & Brown is unique for a firm of its caliber, with 25% of the company owned by the employees and 50% publicly traded. “It takes away from that 9 to 5 mindset," explains Dustin Davis, an employee benefits consultant based out of Brown & Brown’s Conshohocken, Pennsylvania office. “The employees are all invested in this company, and I think that resonates with our customers. Within our model, you must worry about the customer first and foremost, because if we don’t, then we all fail.”

Brown & Brown proudly boasts a high retention and satisfaction rate amongst their customers because of this model.

While Brown & Brown serves businesses of all sizes, their Pennsylvania office—the closest to Delaware—specializes in providing services to companies in the 50-500 employee range. It’s often a neglected range of businesses, according to Davis, where a lot of firms either focus on very large or very small businesses. Understanding that every business faces unique risks, Brown & Brown’s range of services includes, but isn’t limited to:

Property and casualty: protecting businesses against physical losses and liability claims.

Employee benefits: designing and managing benefits packages to attract and retain talent, including health insurance, life insurance, and disability coverage. This also includes access to live HR agents for customers to consult.

Risk management: guiding clients through risk assessments and implementing measures to minimize potential losses, including legal consulting for their customers when needed.

“Our focus is to try and take as much responsibility off the plate of the company so they can focus on what they’re great at,” says Davis.

Brown & Brown Insurance is proof of the power of family values in the business world. Though it has grown into a national leader, the company never lost sight of its roots. The Brown family legacy, passed down through generations, continues to shape the company’s commitment to personalized service and customer focus, making them a trusted partner for businesses seeking a secure future. “Insurance as a whole is not simple, it’s our goal to flip that dynamic,” concludes Davis.