Diligence · Insurance Brokerage

ERISA & Benefits Diligence Counsel for Insurance Brokerage Acquisitions

Diligencing ERISA & Benefits Diligence on insurance brokerage deals, with the structure protection and capital connectivity an independent sponsor actually needs.

EV range $10M to $150M EV EBITDA $3M to $25M Audience Buy-side / Sponsor
The deal context

Insurance Brokerage deals in the lower middle market run a specific playbook. ERISA & Benefits Diligence is where the structure either holds or starts to leak.

The typical insurance brokerage platform sits at $10M to $150M EV with EBITDA in the $3M to $25M range. The thesis runs on regional retail agency roll-ups. Producer non-competes are unenforceable in too many states to ignore. Plan retention, not litigation.

The moves

How ERISA & Benefits Diligence actually gets structured.

  1. Pull the 5500s and audit reports for the last three years.

  2. Identify any controlled-group exposure that follows the seller post-close.

  3. Address multi-employer pension withdrawal liability where applicable.

  4. Plan the benefits transition to the buyer's plans, with a TSA period if needed.

  5. In insurance brokerage, layer in E&O tail insurance priced and bound as part of the ERISA & Benefits Diligence workstream.

The common mistake

Skipping the multi-employer pension review. It can show up as a 7-figure surprise three months post-close.

Jason's take
"ERISA is the silent deal-killer. Treat it like senior debt diligence."
Jason Powell · ERISA & Benefits Diligence
Capital after close

The deal is one thing. The capital that opens up after close is another.

The capital that opens up post-close, from refinancing to growth equity to strategic exit, runs through a small set of Wall Street relationships. That network is built in.

MONTH 18
Senior refi
MONTH 24
Dividend recap
MONTH 36
Growth equity
YEAR 4–5
Strategic exit
WORK WITH JASON

Bring the insurance brokerage deal. Get ERISA & Benefits Diligence done right.

Direct counsel from a securities and M&A attorney with billions in structured transactions, the independent-sponsor-native playbook, and the capital markets network that opens up post-close.