The Insura-Preneur Podcast

Homeowners insurance is no longer “inflation + a little.” In many states it’s become volatile, uneven, and emotionally exhausting for consumers—and operationally painful for agents trying to retain clients through renewal shocks. In this episode, Michael sits down with Dylan DiMarchi, CEO of Eventual (the company behind Premium Lock), to unpack a simple but potentially disruptive idea: multi-year premium predictability. “Insurance pricing actually was more volatile than any other period in human history.” In this conversation, we cover: The real-world problem: why homeowners are burned out on surprise renewals How Premium Lock works (a supplementary product that reimburses amounts above a pre-set threshold) Why agents are using it not just for retention—but as point-of-sale differentiation Market insight: what Dylan’s data suggests about where premium growth could trend next If you’re an independent agent—or an agency leader thinking strategically about differentiation and retention—this one will give you new angles (and a product category to watch).

How do you turn a tiny, rural, PC-10 agency into a multi-niche growth machine that closes six-figure accounts without traditional producers? In this episode, Michael Jans sits down with Cheri Martinen, Managing Partner of Bancorp Insurance, to unpack how her family’s small Oregon agency has grown 6–7x while being surrounded by national forest on three sides. You’ll hear how Cheri’s parents: Started by cross-selling their existing book Stumbled into their first contractor niche Then built out a portfolio of highly profitable specialties—from wildland firefighters to special water districts and Medicare Today, Bancorp operates in 20+ states, runs a marketing-driven model, and closes big commercial accounts from inbound demand—no door-knocking producers. Cheri also breaks down her modern marketing stack: Consistent blogging and SEO YouTube shorts and multi-platform social Hulu ads and geo-targeting around senior centers Email + voicemail + direct mail campaigns Automated renewal and cross-sell workflows supported by in-house staff and VAs And we wrap with Cheri’s angle on AI and visibility: “At this point, we’re getting leads from ChatGPT. So if you’re not getting leads from ChatGPT, you don’t have enough content out there yet.” In this episode, you’ll learn: How a rural “middle of nowhere” agency made geography irrelevant with smart niche strategy The contractor campaign that turned a hard-market disruption into a growth surge How Bancorp built and scaled niches in wildland firefighters and water districts What a marketing-driven growth model looks like when you close six-figure accounts without a traditional producer force Real examples of integrated campaigns (email, voicemail, streaming, geo-targeting) that keep the pipeline full How Cheri thinks about AI, content, and why agencies must “test the waters before it’s too late” If you’re an independent agency owner wondering how to grow faster, niche deeper, and use modern marketing (and AI) to win big accounts, this conversation is a practical blueprint.

In this episode, Michael pulls back the curtain on what AI actually did in 2025—far away from the hype, and deep in the real numbers. While most of the insurance world is still “thinking about AI,” other industries are already cashing in: A global fintech using AI to replace the work of ~700 people in 35 languages A major carrier cutting claim cycle times by weeks and slashing complaints by 65% A wealth management giant adding tens of billions in new assets with AI-assisted advisors Streaming, retail, and coffee brands using AI to quietly reduce churn and boost revenue This isn’t a thought experiment. It’s an alarm clock. Then Michael brings it home: what this means for independent agencies, why the “wait and see” crowd is already behind, and how to start using AI intelligently—without turning it into an expensive hobby. You’ll hear: Concrete examples of AI driving profit and efficiency in 2025 The hidden risk of treating AI as a “future project” How to think about AI in the context of your growth, margins, and valuation A first look at Michael’s suite of 12 custom GPTs designed specifically for independent insurance agencies If you’re serious about growth—and serious about not getting left behind—this is your wake-up call. 👉 Want details on the AI tools Michael mentions in the episode? Email him at [email protected] with “AI” in the subject line.

Still retyping the same client data into five different carrier portals? In this episode of The AI for IA Podcast, Michael talks with Carl, founder of Gaya, the browser-based tool built specifically for insurance agencies. Gaya sits on top of the systems you already use and turns painful, repetitive data entry into a few clicks. Instead of spending 10–15 minutes keying information into each carrier portal, agencies using Gaya often get it down to 4–5 minutes per carrier — without a single API integration. With Gaya, agencies can: Extract data from PDFs, images, AMS systems, and carrier portals Paste that data directly into carrier portals, browser-based AMS platforms, or new forms Handle remarketing surges and multi-carrier quoting with the same headcount Carl and Michael also unpack the bigger picture of AI in insurance distribution: Why so many agencies fall into “shiny object syndrome” with AI tools What separates novelty from real operational impact Why today’s AI is about capacity and leverage, not job replacement How “process eats technology for breakfast” — and what to streamline before adopting AI If you want your team quoting faster, remarketing more, and spending less time on repetitive data entry, this conversation shows what’s possible right now — using the systems you already have. 👉 Learn more about Gaya here: www.gaya.ai

Most P&C agencies want stronger retention, deeper client loyalty, and higher revenue per client — but overlook the one conversation that delivers all three. In this episode, Michael Jans talks with Trae White, multi-acquisition P&C agency principal whose agency was recognized as Top 10 nationally in life insurance performance, to break down the simple culture and system behind his success. Trae reveals how he built a life-insurance pipeline inside a P&C agency, why he believes discussing life coverage is a moral obligation, and how these deeper conversations create durable, long-term relationships that strengthen the entire book. You’ll learn the culture cues that get teams comfortable, the scripts his staff uses daily, and why the 1:15 benchmark is the perfect starting point for agencies that want measurable gains without changing their business model. In this episode: • How deeper protection conversations drive retention • The pipeline Trae built for new & existing clients • Why clients with life stay longer, engage more, and refer more • How small policies create big loyalty • The culture shift behind Trae’s national recognition A powerful message for P&C principals ready to unlock the retention and revenue lift hiding in their own book.