Single sign-on boosts Jewelers Mutual agent growth

First Connect reported growth in agent activity and new business at specialty insurer Jewelers Mutual after the two companies introduced a single sign-on connection between the First Connect marketplace and the insurer's agent portal.

In the seven months after launch, Jewelers Mutual recorded a 32% increase in average monthly agent access requests. Average monthly policy count rose by nearly 50%, while average monthly new business premium written increased by 116%.

The work centred on First Connect's Effortless Carrier Login product, which uses single sign-on to let approved agents move from the First Connect marketplace into Jewelers Mutual's portal without re-entering credentials.

Single sign-on is now common in enterprise software. In insurance distribution, it has gained attention as agencies and carriers look to reduce delays between initial appetite checks and quoting.

In the independent agent channel, login can become a practical gate in the sales process. Agents often work across multiple carrier portals, each with separate credential management and access-approval steps. That administrative layer can influence which markets an agent tries first when a client asks for a quote.

Jewelers Mutual focuses on insurance for jewellery, watches, and businesses in the jewellery sector. It joined the First Connect marketplace in 2023 and later expanded the relationship to marketplace access and agent workflow, the companies said.

Effortless Carrier Login links the marketplace to the carrier portal once an agent is approved, keeping the transition within the flow of a transaction that starts in the marketplace and continues inside the carrier's systems.

First Connect framed the results as evidence that access issues can affect conversion through what it calls the access-to-bind funnel. The funnel covers initial access approval, the start of quoting, and the move to binding and issuing policies.

Faster access can matter in specialty lines, where quoting often depends on the quality of information gathered and the time available to place a risk. Many agencies also run lean teams, making time lost to account setup and password resets more visible than in personal lines workflows with higher levels of automation.

Distribution shift

The update comes as carriers and intermediaries rethink distribution technology, particularly where marketplace models serve as the front door for agents. Marketplaces typically promise broader access to carriers with a standardised experience for search and submission, even when quoting and binding still happen in the carrier environment.

First Connect has surpassed USD $500 million in annual gross written premium across its platform, which it positions as a sign of increased adoption of digital-first distribution among independent agents.

The company also cited its research on agent expectations: 81% of agents report higher customer expectations for speed, with a majority expecting same-day quotes and policy issuance.

That demand is pushing carriers to revisit sources of friction that have historically sat outside pricing and underwriting. Access controls, credentialing, and portal switching often fall to IT and security teams rather than distribution leaders, but the reported metrics suggest these steps can still shape production when agents decide where to place business.

Jewelers Mutual President Mike Alexander linked the changes to agent workflow.

"Independent agents value speed and ease of access, particularly when working with specialty products. By simplifying how agents engage with us through First Connect, we made it easier for them to quote and place business, which has driven stronger engagement and premium growth," said Mike Alexander, President, Jewelers Mutual.

First Connect Chief Executive Aviad Pinkovezky described access friction as an underestimated lever in distribution performance.

"Friction at the access stage is easy to underestimate, but it has a direct effect on whether agents engage, quote, and bind. This collaboration shows how tech-forward carriers can unlock meaningful growth by making it easier for agents to get started and move quickly," said Pinkovezky.

The single sign-on connection was built and then made available in the First Connect Carrier Store, where agents select carrier connections, the companies said. Further work between marketplaces and carriers is expected to focus on reducing time spent on non-quoting steps, including access approvals and portal navigation.