Among the changes accelerated in recent years by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the phenomena of broker consolidation. The days of individual agents offering one type of insurance are disappearing, particularly in larger marketplaces. Larger firms and one-stop-shopping models are now becoming the norm.

Consolidation can be seen in various forms, such as companies bringing multiple types of insurance under one roof or large entities that specialize in a certain type of coverage acquiring small and mid-sized agencies of the same discipline. Critical mass allows these entities to enjoy economies of scale to deliver clients value added services. It also allows them to more easily afford to invest in technologies that bring efficiencies to both their customers and themselves.

While the driving forces behind consolidation are wide-ranging, the commonality among them all is a greater ability to survive in a marketplace where even the smallest employer businesses are demanding the same types of services as large companies.