The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Expands Membership and Council Partner Community in Q3 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers continues to expand its commercial insurance brokerage community in 2026, welcoming an impressive group of new members.
- Bold Penguin (Dublin, Ohio) – Founded in 2016, Bold Penguin is the premier digital broker for commercial insurance, providing a holistic solution, including E&S, for its distribution partners. DeX ai, Bold Penguin’s intelligence layer, compresses the time from submission to bind from days to minutes. Bold Penguin places business in both admitted and non-admitted markets with more than 40 carriers across over 30 lines of business in all 50 states.
- Cogent International (London, U.K.) – Cogent International is an independent, employee-owned, 100% wholesale broker. A Lloyd’s Broker since 1986, Cogent has built deep expertise across a range of specialist classes combining technical broking expertise, senior London market relationships and an entrepreneurial approach to deliver solutions for its international clients and trading partners. Expertise across specialist lines includes Property, Energy, Aviation, Specialty Delegated Authorities, Accident & Health, Political Violence, Terrorism, Political Risk and Trade Credit.
- Del Rio Group (Gilbert, Ariz.) – Del Rio Group is the parent company for UCPM, NXUS Environmental Underwriters, Lender Environmental Diligence, and Environmental Risk Professionals. With a growing family of environmental risk brands for more than 30 years, Del Rio Group has built unique and industry-leading environmental solutions. Del Rio Group is independent, privately held, and family-run.
“Our newest member firms each address a gap in the market and place highly specialized risks,” said Joel Wood, President/CEO of The Council. “They come at these solutions in different ways, but they share a commitment to solving problems for their clients. We’re thrilled to welcome them to our membership community, and gratified that they’ve found their home at The Council.”
As previously announced, the following firms joined The Council in 2026: GIS (Morris, Ill.), Steadfast (Sydney, Australia), Balavant Insurance Group (Novato, Calif.), AGA Benefit Solutions (Westmount, Canada), APRIL Group (Lyon, France), Element (West Chester, Pa.), Sanyuu (São Paulo, Brazil), Specialist Risk Group (London, U.K.), and Tropolis (Ann Arbor, Mich.).
The Council Partners program continues to grow, with increased investment this quarter from McKinsey & Company, which moved from Gold to Platinum level.
Earlier this year, MSIG USA, ReSource Pro, Verisk, and The Hartford elevated their partnerships from Platinum to Diamond; CRC Group, Factory Mutual Insurance Company, Inigo Ltd., The Baldwin Group, Swiss Re, and Zywave increased their investment from Gold to Platinum; and Fulcrum joined as a new Gold Partner.
“Increased support from Council Partners fuels innovation and expanded programming for members, which in turn strengthens our diverse distribution channel and gives partners greater reach across the sector,” said John Howard, Council Board Chair and Vice Chairman of CRC Group. “We’re grateful to both new and longstanding Council Partners for their support and their commitment to the brokerage industry.”
The Council will be hosting the 113th annual Insurance Leadership Forum later this week.
