.png)
If you've shopped for insurance lately, there's a good chance the "independent agency" you called isn't quite as independent as it sounds. Private equity-backed buyers accounted for 72% of all insurance agency acquisitions in the first quarter of 2026, according to OPTIS Partners, the firm that tracks insurance industry M&A. The firm estimates roughly 30,000 small independent agencies across the country lack a clear succession plan — which is exactly the gap private equity has been buying up, deal by deal, for years now.
That matters more than most people realize, whether you're already working with an agency or you're comparing options for the first time. Once an agency gets absorbed into a private-equity-backed consolidator, the incentives change. Decisions start getting made to satisfy investors, not the people actually holding the policies — and one of the first things to get "optimized" is usually the people answering the phone.
So we want to be clear about where Top O' Michigan stands — for our current clients, and for anyone out there deciding who to trust with their coverage.
Our promise: real people, always
We've always put customer care first, and we always will — no matter how big we get. That means prioritizing real people who genuinely care about getting your coverage right, not just closing a sale — even when it would be more profitable to cut corners. It's worth it to us every time.
Here's what growing up in a third-generation, family-owned, independent agency has taught me: marketing brings people in the door, but great service — and coverage that actually protects you when something goes wrong — is what keeps them here and fuels real, long-term growth.
Your insurance isn't a chatbot's job
A lot of companies have handed their customer service over to AI chatbots to save money. We won't be one of them — not when it comes to your coverage.
Insurance decisions are personal. Whether you're insuring your home, your vehicle, or your business, the right answer depends on details a script can't account for — your specific risks, your history, what actually happened in a claim, what you can't afford to get wrong. An AI robot can't sit with that nuance. A real agent who knows you and your situation can.
That's not us being nostalgic about "the old way of doing things" — it's us recognizing that insurance is too important to hand off to automation just because it's cheaper.
What that looks like when you call us
When you call Top O' Michigan, you reach a real local expert — someone invested in making sure your policy actually fits your life, not a script and not a bot. In today's insurance market, with so many agencies getting absorbed into bigger consolidators, that's rarer than it should be, and more valuable than ever.
We're here for the long haul. If you're already a client and need help, have a question, or just want a second opinion on your coverage — or if you're still shopping around and want to see the difference an independent agency makes — our team is ready to talk.
Talk to a real person at Top O' Michigan
Call us at 800-686-8664 or request a quote online — we'd love to talk with you.