Inszone Insurance Services has acquired Progress Brokerage Group, LLC, a Springfield, Pennsylvania agency specializing in insurance for bars, restaurants, taverns, and other hospitality businesses.
The deal extends Inszone's East Coast push into Pennsylvania. Progress Brokerage Group was founded in 2013 by Ed Snow and built its book through referrals and direct community relationships in the state and neighboring markets. No financial terms were disclosed.
Hospitality has become one of the harder segments to place in the commercial insurance market. Standard carriers have pulled back from bars and restaurants on liquor liability and property risks, pushing more accounts into the excess and surplus lines market. For operators across Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic, that shift has raised the value of brokers with established carrier relationships in the segment.
Snow said cultural alignment and operational fit drove the decision to sell. "We had opportunities to speak with several organizations, but Inszone stood out because they understood who we are and how we operate," he said. "Their leadership team has real retail insurance experience, and that mattered to us."
He described direct client accessibility as the foundation of the agency's model. "In our business, people want someone they can call directly when they need help," Snow added. "That personal connection has always been the foundation of what we do, and Inszone shares that same philosophy."
Progress Brokerage Group's existing staff will remain in place. Chris Walters, CEO of Inszone, said the East Coast remains a priority expansion market, with Georgia, Florida, and Pennsylvania among the targeted states.
Inszone ranked among the top three most active US broker buyers in 2025, alongside BroadStreet Partners and World Insurance Associates. The three firms combined accounted for 19.4% of 753 announced broker M&A transactions that year, according to figures from OPTIS Partners. Inszone has completed more than 130 acquisitions since its 2002 founding, peaking at 43 deals in 2024.
The company is backed by BHMS Investments, which invested in 2020, and Lightyear Capital, which joined in 2023. Inszone has raised $466 million to date, according to PitchBook.
