Andy NearyI help insurance professionals turn brand awareness into business growth.

What the AON acquisition of USI means for insurance producers…

31 Aug 2026 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:42

In this YouTube monologue, Andy Neary delivers a hot‑take on the recent Aon‑USI acquisition and a series of other industry consolidations (MMA‑McGriff, Gallagher‑Assured Partners, Brown Brown‑Risk Strategies, Alliant‑NAVA). He thanks the acquirers, arguing that their moves validate the purpose of his firm, Complete Game Consulting, which helps independent insurance agencies and producers build strong brands. Neary warns producers who have relied on corporate logos that change with each merger that they are vulnerable, and he stresses that both individual producers and agency leaders must develop personal and corporate brands to survive and thrive through 2026 and beyond. He predicts a massive opportunity for fiercely independent agencies that maintain distinct, trusted brands, positioning those brands as the go‑to source for talent and business in a market where buyers will eventually tire of the race to be number one.

Chapters

Okay, my turn for the hot take on this Aon USI acquisition. I avoided posting this on Monday knowing everybody in the industry would want to share their thoughts. I actually want to thank Aon for buying USI. I want to share— thank MMA for buying McGriff. I want to thank Gallagher for buying Assured Partners. I want to thank Brown Brown for buying Risk Strategies. Heck, I want to thank Alliant for buying NAVA. Why? Because you validate why we, Complete Game Consulting, exist. If you want to have a chance at long-term sustained success in this industry in 2026, And you wanna have a chance at staying independent, you need to have a brand. And if you're one of those few lucky ones that are cashing out on these acquisitions and riding off into the sunset, congratulations, you have earned it. But if you're not, and you're a producer who's been part of these acquisitions, and you have relied on the logo, which now has changed every other year for the past 5 years, you're screwed. You must have a brand. And I think the next 10 years provide a massive opportunity for the large independent agencies out there that continue to be fiercely independent. What? You are going to need a brand. That goes for producers. Whether you're 30 days into the business or 30 years, you need a brand. Leaders of these agencies, you need a brand to go attract the next great producers. Heck, you might attract them from one of these acquisitions. But this is proving why you must have a personal brand in 2026. Because as everybody races to become number one, buyers are going to get fed up with that shit. But then they need a trusted source. And when somebody has a brand, that they recognize and they trust, it becomes easy to hire you. You become the obvious choice. So guys, thank you for the acquisitions. You're making our job a hell of a lot more important.