A formal authorization from an insurance carrier allowing an agency to sell and service that carrier's products and earn commission.
Carrier Appointment
A formal authorization from an insurance carrier allowing an agency to sell and service that carrier's products and earn commission.
A carrier appointment is the contract that authorizes an agency to represent an insurance company — to quote, bind and service its policies and receive commission. Without an appointment, an agency generally cannot access a carrier\'s products directly.
Appointments define the relationship and the economics:
- Commission schedules, lines of business, and territory,
- Production requirements — many carriers expect a minimum volume to keep the appointment active,
- Loss-ratio expectations and contingency terms.
New and smaller agencies often struggle to secure direct appointments, which is why aggregators, clusters, networks, MGAs and wholesalers exist — they provide market access. Appointment status and appetite can be researched through tools like IVANS Markets.