The ARLO Blog

Practical guides for independent insurance agents: carrier appointments, market access, commission splits, agency software and running a growing book of business.

• LOA Insurance Agent: What "LOA" Means (Lines of Authority vs. Licensed-Only Agent) and Why It Matters — LOA means two different things for an insurance agent: the lines of authority on your license, or a licensed-only agent contract. Here is what each means and what to check.
• From Dec Page to ACORD Forms: Upload the Current Policy, Get the Right ACORDs Pre-Filled — Remarketing a commercial account starts with retyping the current policy into ACORD forms. In ARLO CRM you upload the dec page instead: the right forms open pre-filled with what is printed on it, and nothing else.
• How to Get Appointed With Property and Casualty Insurance Companies in Florida (In the Order the Doors Actually Open) — P&C markets don't open all at once. The real order for new Florida agents: agency appointments, wholesalers, MGAs, regional and national carriers — and why Citizens comes last.
• Licensed but Not Appointed: What New Florida Agents Can Actually Do While Carriers Say No — Passed the exam but no carrier will appoint you? What Florida law actually requires, what you can do while you wait, the 48-month clock, and three realistic ways to start selling.
• Cloud-Based Agency Management System: What Small Agencies Should Look For — What a cloud-based agency management system really does, the features that matter for a small agency, how pricing models compare, and a buying checklist before you sign.
• Applied Epic vs AMS360: How a Small Insurance Agency Should Actually Choose — A head-to-head for one-to-ten-person agencies: what really differs between Applied Epic and AMS360, what does not, and how to tell when neither is the right buy this year.
• How to Get Your 2-20 Insurance License in Florida (And What to Do the Week After You Pass) — The Florida 2-20 is the license that lets you own an agency and bind coverage. Here is the real path: education, exam, fingerprints, appointments, E&O and the first policy.
• How to Start an Insurance Agency in Florida: Costs, Licenses, Carriers and the First Year — Entity, agency license, E&O, carrier access and software — the real checklist and the real numbers for opening an independent agency in Florida.
• How to Get Carrier Appointments as a New Insurance Agent (And What to Do Until You Have Them) — Every new agent hits the same wall: carriers want production history, and you cannot build production history without carriers. Here is how appointments really work — and the three ways agents get around the wall.
• Market Access vs. Clusters vs. Aggregators: What a New Agent Actually Gives Up — They all sound the same in the pitch. The differences only show up in the contract — book ownership, exit terms, commission splits and how long you wait for a quote.
• Captive vs Independent Insurance Agent: The Honest Comparison for New Agents — One path hands you leads, training and a brand. The other hands you ownership and no floor under your income. Here is what each model actually costs a new agent — in money, in freedom and in what you own at the end.
• Leaving a Captive Agency: What Happens to Your Book, Your Non-Compete and Your Income — The clients you serviced for years are, on paper, usually not yours. Here is how to read your contract, what you can and cannot take, and how to plan an exit that does not blow up your income.
• Why New Insurance Agents Quit in Year One — and the Six Things That Prevent It — New agents rarely quit because they cannot sell. They quit because of six specific, fixable problems that all show up in the same first twelve months. Here is each one and what to do about it.
• You Passed the Florida 2-20 Exam. Now What? A First 90 Days Checklist — The license is the easy part. Here is what a Florida 2-20 actually lets you do, what still stands between you and your first commission, and a 90-day plan to get there.
• The Best Insurance Agency Management System for a New Agent in 2026 (An Honest Buyer's Guide) — Most agency management systems were designed for a 40-person agency with a full-time admin. Here is what that actually costs a one or two person shop, and the eight questions that decide the right system for you.
• EZLynx Alternatives for a Small or Brand New Agency: What to Compare — EZLynx is the default comparative rater in personal lines, which is exactly why people shop it. Here is the framework for comparing alternatives without getting lost in feature lists.
• HawkSoft vs a Modern Agency CRM: The Questions That Actually Matter — HawkSoft has a loyal base of independent agencies and a long track record in service and workflow. Here is where it fits, where a modern CRM fits, and how to tell which one you are actually buying for.
• Applied Epic, AMS360 and Enterprise Agency Software: Do You Actually Need It? — Enterprise platforms are genuinely powerful and genuinely built for a different agency than yours. Here is how to tell which side of the line you are on before you sign a multi-year contract.
• How Much Does Insurance Agency Software Really Cost? The Fees Nobody Lists — The monthly number in the proposal is rarely what you pay. Here is the full list of what to add up, and the six questions that get you a real total before you sign.
• Seven Signs Your Agency CRM Is Costing You Business (Not Just Annoying You) — Outdated agency software does not announce itself. It shows up as lost quotes, missed renewals and evenings spent re-typing. Here are the seven signs, and the cost behind each one.
• How Insurance Agents Actually Get Paid: Commission, Splits and What a Book Is Worth — Almost nobody explains the money clearly before you sign somewhere. Here is how commission actually flows from carrier to agency to you, what a split really means, and why renewals are the whole business.
• Where New Insurance Agents Get Their First 20 Clients (Without Buying Leads) — Bought leads are the most expensive way to start and the easiest way to burn through your savings in month two. Here are seven channels that cost time instead of money, and how to work each one.
• E&O Insurance for a New Insurance Agency: What It Is, Why You Cannot Skip It — Every carrier will ask for proof of E&O before they appoint you, and most new agents have no idea what they are buying. Here is what it covers, what to look for, and the trap in claims-made policies.
• 1099 Producer vs Employee: How New Agents Actually Get Started Under an Agency — Most new agents start under someone else's agency. Whether you do that as a 1099 producer or a W-2 employee changes your income, your taxes and whether you own anything at the end.
• Do You Need an LLC to Sell Insurance? Setting Up Your Agency the Right Way — Licensed and ready to write, but unsure whether you need an entity. Here is what agency licensing actually requires, what an LLC does and does not protect, and the order to set things up in.

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