Zywave

Zywave is a Milwaukee-based provider of software for insurance carriers, brokers, and agencies. The company was founded in 1995 and builds tools for quoting, agency management, compliance, and data analytics. Agencies, MGAs, and carriers use its systems for day-to-day sales and policy servicing. The platform now covers much of that front-office work.

Website: zywave.com

Head office address: 10100 W. Innovation Drive, Suite 300, Milwaukee, WI 53226

Founded: 1995, Milwaukee

Company type: private; backed by Clearlake Capital Group and Aurora Capital Partners

Business focus: insurance distribution, agency management, and content software

Regions served: US, Canada, and select international markets

History of Zywave

The company has spent more than three decades building software for insurance carriers, brokers, and agencies. Much of its growth has come through acquisitions rather than in-house development alone.

  • 1995: Zywave is founded in Milwaukee to build insurance technology tools
  • 2020: Clearlake Capital Group acquires the company and combines it with data and analytics firm Advisen
  • 2020: it adds Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC) for digital rating and quoting tools
  • 2021: the firm acquires Enquiron for compliance and HR support tools used by brokers
  • 2022: the firm acquires Strategic Insurance Software (SIS) and its Partner Platform agency management system
  • 2026: the company launches Zywave Apex, an AI platform built for insurance distribution

Those deals turned a single quoting tool into a broader software platform. Each acquisition added a specific capability rather than duplicating what the company already had. The result is a platform built through acquisition rather than a single product built from scratch.

Product portfolio

Zywave’s software falls into a few broad categories that cover most of the insurance sales and service cycle. Most connect with each other inside its platform and share the same underlying data.

  • agency management systems for tracking policies, clients, and commissions
  • quoting and rating tools for personal, commercial, and employee-benefits lines
  • content and compliance resources covering risk management, HR, and regulatory topics
  • data and analytics products that support underwriting, benchmarking, and lead generation
  • AI-powered agents that assist with prospecting, quoting, and renewal workflows

Carriers, brokers, and agencies often license several of these tools at once. The company builds them to share data across its platform instead of operating as separate products.

Awards and recognition

Insurance Business named Zywave one of its 5-Star Insurance Technology Providers in 2021. The list recognizes insurtech companies for their impact on agencies and brokers. The recognition came amid years of frequent acquisitions that helped build its software portfolio.

Zywave also made the 5-Star Insurance Technology Providers 2022 list the following year. It was one of nine companies to win that year.

Readers who want more on other awards and special reports can check out IBA’s Best In Insurance page.

Zywave in the market

The company says its platform serves thousands of carriers, MGAs, agencies, and brokers across the US and abroad. Its tools integrate with account management systems that agencies and brokers already use. Examples include Vertafore’s AMS360 and Applied Systems’ Applied Epic.

Private equity firms Clearlake Capital Group and Aurora Capital Partners have backed the company since 2020. The investment gave the company capital to keep acquiring insurtech firms. More recently, it funded the buildout of Zywave Apex, an AI platform for brokers and carriers.

For its latest moves, check the news section on this page.

In the news

New York Life hires Chubb's AI platform head as chief AI officer

BENEFITS

New York Life hires Chubb's AI platform head as chief AI officer

Zhen Zhao moves from Chubb to New York Life to lead AI strategy, including agentic AI tools for agents and advisors

Shepherd Insurance taps Gallagher veteran to lead employee benefits

BENEFITS

Shepherd Insurance taps Gallagher veteran to lead employee benefits

Matt Kleymeyer, who built and sold his own firm before joining Gallagher, will head Shepherd's growing benefits practice

Clients now expect brokers to lead on AI, not just advice

TRANSFORMATION

Clients now expect brokers to lead on AI, not just advice

Zywave survey finds trusted-advisor expectations at a new high - but most agencies still have no written AI policy

GIS Benefits, Steadfast and Balavant join Council amid benefits market shift

INSURANCE NEWS

GIS Benefits, Steadfast and Balavant join Council amid benefits market shift

Three new member firms spanning benefits, global broking and MGA platforms are the latest to join The Council

Employers demand risk leadership from brokers as expectations rise: Zywave survey

INSURANCE NEWS

Employers demand risk leadership from brokers as expectations rise: Zywave survey

Expectations for broker services are shifting rapidly amid economic uncertainty

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