Bellcrest Lending Group, a small-business funding service in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, explains funding for insurance agents and agencies: term loans to buy an agency or a book of business, lines of credit for commission timing, and working capital for hiring producers. It cites Fond du Lac County insurance agency figures from County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024.
At a glance
- Employer establishments
43 employer locations, Fond du Lac County, WI (CBP 2023)
- Fewer than five employees
27 of the 43 employers (62.8%, CBP 2023)
- Annual payroll
$15.1 million paid to 221 employees (CBP 2023)
- Businesses without paid employees
78 with no payroll (Nonemployer Statistics 2024, NAICS 2022)
Insurance Agencies Across Fond du Lac County, WI: 2023 and 2024 Census Counts
For insurance agencies (NAICS 524210), County Business Patterns counted 43 employer establishments in Fond du Lac County, WI in 2023, with 221 paid employees and $15.1 million in annual payroll; 27 of them, or 62.8%, had fewer than five employees, and 24 used a ZIP 54935 address (ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023; the ZIP is not the city limits). That works out to about 5.1 employees per establishment and about $68,534 of payroll per employee (our arithmetic).
Nonemployer Statistics, a separate Census program built on NAICS 2022 codes, counted 78 businesses without paid employees in insurance agencies (NAICS 2022 52421) in the county for 2024, with $4.2 million in combined receipts, or about $54,179 each (our arithmetic). The two programs count different businesses, so this page keeps them apart.
Loan to buy insurance agency: what Fond du Lac, WI owners should know
A loan to buy an insurance agency is a term loan read on the agency's commission income. The partner wants the agency's revenue by carrier and line of business, retention history, the purchase agreement, and how producers and staff will stay on. Commission income that renews year after year supports the payment.
Business term loans covers acquisition records in general.
Insurance agent loans for Fond du Lac County, WI businesses
Insurance agent loans cover hiring a producer, opening an office, buying agency management software, or carrying the agency through a gap between writing policies and receiving commissions. A captive agent tied to one carrier and an independent agent with several carriers have different records; independent agencies own their book outright, which matters when it serves as collateral.
Insurance agencies made up 43 of the 134 finance and insurance employers in Fond du Lac County, WI in 2023 (County Business Patterns).
How much does it cost to buy an insurance book of business in Fond du Lac, WI?
A book of business is priced on its revenue. Buyer and seller agree a multiple of annual commission revenue, or a formula based on what renews over the following years. The multiple depends on retention, the mix of personal and commercial lines, how concentrated the book is with one carrier, and whether the seller stays on to help with the transition. There is no single local price.
Illustration only, invented figures: a book with $200,000 in annual commissions, priced at 1.8 times revenue, costs $360,000 (our arithmetic). With $60,000 down, $300,000 financed over 84 months at 10% costs about $4,980 a month, or about $59,764 a year (our arithmetic), roughly 30% of the book's yearly commissions.
Business loans for insurance agents around Fond du Lac, WI
Business loans for insurance agents are judged on commission statements, agency tax returns, carrier contracts and retention. Partners know commissions arrive on carrier schedules, so twelve months of commission statements tell the story better than a few weeks of bank activity.
Keep agency and personal accounts separate, especially for a sole agent. Nonemployer Statistics counted 78 insurance agencies without paid employees in the county in 2024.
Insurance agency purchase financing in Fond du Lac, WI
Agency purchase financing can combine a term loan, a seller note and an earn-out, where part of the price depends on retention after the sale. Partners want to know the order in which each is paid and whether the seller note is subordinate to the loan.
An earn-out lowers the risk of paying for clients who leave, but it makes the final price uncertain. Model the best and worst cases before signing.
Buying an insurance agency book of business: what Fond du Lac, WI owners should know
- Get the seller's commission statements by carrier for at least two years.
- Confirm carrier appointments will transfer, or that you hold them already.
- Review retention and the mix of policies.
- Agree price, structure and any seller transition period.
- Send the request with the letter of intent and the seller's records.
Commission Timing and Lines of Credit for Fond du Lac, WI Agencies
Agencies with uneven commission timing, such as a large commercial account renewing once a year, can use a line of credit to smooth payroll between commission checks. Draw in the lean months and repay when the large commissions arrive. The line of credit page explains how renewals work.
The insurance book of business article works through a purchase step by step.
Records Fond du Lac County, WI Agencies Bring
- Commission statements by carrier.
- Agency tax returns and financial statements.
- Carrier contracts and appointments.
- Retention reports for the book.
- For a purchase: the letter of intent or purchase agreement.
Related pages: all industries and Fond du Lac County, WI business counts.
By Bellcrest Lending Group ยท Updated