KBIC review: services, fees and terms
KBIC (Kaye/Bassman International) runs an insurance and risk management recruiting practice inside a large general search firm. It finds producers, account executives, underwriters, whole brokerage teams and leaders.
It works on contingency (paid only when you hire) or on retainer (paid in stages while it searches). Fees and payment dates come in a proposal.
- Best for
- Retail and wholesale brokerages hiring producers, teams or leaders
- Type
- Contingency and retained search through an insurance practice
- Roles
- Producers, account executives, account managers, underwriters, adjusters and executives
- Lines
- Commercial P&C, high-net-worth personal lines, benefits, E&S and D&O
- Fee
- Quote only. Retained searches are paid in stages
- Agency types
- Retail and wholesale brokerages, carriers, MGAs, MGUs and TPAs
Our take
KBIC suits a retail or wholesale brokerage that wants producers, account executives, whole teams or leaders found by a large firm with its own insurance practice. One consultant runs the search with the practice team behind them.
Fees and payment dates come in a proposal. KBIC can also help you find teams or firms to buy, which helps a brokerage growing by acquisition.
Pros
- Dedicated insurance and risk management practice
- Recruits brokerage teams with their support staff
- Covers specialty lines such as E&S and D&O
- Contingency or retained search
- Help finding acquisition targets
Cons
- Fees and terms only in a proposal
- No published guarantee
- A general firm, not insurance only
- No temp staffing
Roles, lines and region
- Roles
- Executives, producers, commercial line managers, account managers, account executives, marketers, benefits sales and consultants, adjusters, wholesale brokers and underwriters
- Seniority
- Producers and account managers through executive leadership
- Lines
- Commercial P&C, high-net-worth personal lines, employee benefits, life and health, workers comp, E&S, E&O and D&O and alternative risk
- Agency types
- Retail and wholesale brokerages, carriers, MGAs, MGUs, TPAs and managed care
- Where
- Anywhere in the US
How they work
Contingency
A permanent search where you pay only if you hire someone KBIC presents.
Retained search
You pay in stages while KBIC works the search. It suits leadership roles and whole teams.
Fees and when you pay
KBIC sets fees and payment dates in a proposal. Retained searches are paid in stages while the search runs.
Guarantee
Ask for the replacement guarantee in writing before you sign. KBIC publishes no guarantee for insurance searches. Put the length and the remedy in the proposal.
Finding and screening candidates
- Where candidates come from
- Its insurance market contacts, worked through a consultant-led search method
- Your contact
- One practice consultant runs your search, backed by the insurance search team
Producer recruiting
- Teams
- Recruits whole brokerage teams along with their support staff
- Growth
- Also helps you find teams and firms to acquire
KBIC alternatives
- Capstone Search GroupQuote onlySmaller insurance-only firm with temps and outsourced recruiting
- MarshBerry Talent SearchQuote onlyTies producer hiring to pay plan design
- The Jacobson GroupQuote onlyInsurance-only firm for board and C-suite searches
- The Carlisle GroupQuote onlyBehavior testing and three to five reference calls per candidate
See every option in insurance recruiting firms.
Frequently asked questions
How much does KBIC charge?
Fees come in a proposal. Retained searches are paid in stages.
Can KBIC recruit a whole team?
Yes. It recruits brokerage teams along with their support staff.
Does KBIC work on contingency or retainer?
Both. You pick the model when you start a search.
Does KBIC guarantee its placements?
No guarantee is published for insurance searches. Ask for one in the proposal.
Does KBIC supply temps?
No. Its insurance practice does permanent placement only.
How we researched this review. We based this review on the terms and product pages published by KBIC, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.
Corrections
Vendors change their pricing all the time and they don't email us when they do. So if you see a price on here that's gone up, a plan KBIC quit selling or a contract term that reads different now, let us know and send the link to the page where KBIC has it. Somebody here pulls up that page and checks it before we change anything on ours.