Agency Agreement Review Service

PIA member agents may participate in the agency agreement review service if they have recently received a new agency agreement from a carrier or have questions about an existing agreement. However, because of the volume of agreements are regularly submitted, we ask that members limit their requests to one agency agreement review per year. 

Requesting an Agency Agreement Review

To request an agency agreement review, PIA member agents should complete the online form in the Get Started section of this web page.

A staff member will typically respond to the request within 3 business days, at which time the agent may be invited to submit the agreement for review. The time frame needed for review will vary based on the length and complexity of the agreement, the state(s) in which the work described in the agreement will be completed, the time of year of the request, and the number of agreements already in the queue, among other factors.

Depending on the scope of the request, PIA staff will prepare an overview of either the whole agreement or the section(s) on which the member agent has sought feedback and provide it to the agent for their consideration. 

Before sending a request for an agency agreement review, the agent must first decide whether they are interested in entering or continuing a business relationship with the carrier. If so, the agent should read the agreement first, noting any questions or comments. At that point, the agent should send their request for review using the process described above.

Upon receipt of a response from PIA, the agent should submit an electronic copy of the agreement via email. The agent should also include with the submission:

1. Whether the contract is newly issued;
2. If newly issued, whether it has been signed;
3. If not signed, the signing deadline;
4. The contract's effective date;
5. If applicable, the date of any prior version of the agreement executed by the agent;
6. Any provisions of particular concern, along with any other questions or comments; and
7. The history with the carrier and any other relevant information.

It is important for all parties involved in the process to keep the following facts in mind:

1. The agency agreement review does not constitute the provision of legal services or legal advice. No member of the PIA staff is the attorney of any individual insurance agent member. The PIA staff member conducting the review may not be barred in the jurisdiction(s) in which the work described in the agreement will be done.
2. The agency agreement review is not a substitute for the advice of legal counsel. The review does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be protected by attorney-client or any other privilege.
3. Agents should not rely or act upon the information provided without seeking advice from their own legal counsel; each agent should consult with an attorney barred in the relevant jurisdiction(s) regarding their specific circumstances and obligations and to ensure compliance with the law of the state(s) in which the agent operates.
4. PIA does not provide legal or business advice to its members as to whether they should sign an agency agreement.
5. PIA does not post or otherwise disseminate agency agreement reviews.
6. The agency agreement review is not intended to and should not be used to take the place of direct discussions between an agent and a carrier.
7. PIA does not endorse or denounce agreements in the review process.