First Connect Charts Bold Course as an Independent Company, Scaling Tech, Partnerships, and Impact
In a recent News in Focus segment on The Insurer TV, First Connect President Aviad Pinkovezky sat down to share updates on the company’s remarkable growth and strategic trajectory since separating from Hippo seven months ago.
Now operating as a standalone entity backed by Centana Growth Partners, First Connect is rapidly scaling its carrier and MGA partnerships, doubling down on technology, and executing a disciplined strategy designed to add value for agents, carriers, and capital partners alike.
- First Connect has significantly expanded its carrier relationships since becoming independent from Hippo, offering agents more options than ever.
- The company’s “secret sauce” for growth includes perfectly priced products, smart agent-carrier matching and data-driven distribution.
- A new partnership with ISC, backed by KKR, gives agents fast access to top-tier commercial and personal lines, especially in-demand contractor coverage.
- Technology and AI are being leveraged not to replace agents but to make them more efficient in a fast-changing, appetite-driven market.
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The conversation opened with Pinkovezky highlighting how independence has empowered First Connect to better serve its agent and carrier partners. “Becoming a standalone company has allowed us to focus entirely on delivering value to the ecosystem we support,” he shared. Rather than reflecting on internal changes, Pinkovezky emphasized how this new chapter is defined by agility, sharper execution, and a stronger commitment to agent success.
The move allowed First Connect to sharpen its business model and fulfill the commitments it made to investors and stakeholders. With capital in hand and autonomy secured, the company is fully focused on delivering value to the agents and partners that rely on its infrastructure.
Explosive carrier growth
One of the most striking indicators of First Connect’s post-Hippo momentum is the sheer growth in its carrier relationships. He stated that “when Hippo was the owner, in the very early days, First Connect had about 30 carriers and MGAs. Now, we work with more than 130, and that number is growing weekly.”
This expanded portfolio opens the door for greater agent optionality and better carrier fit, enabling agents to match their clients with tailored solutions across personal and commercial lines.
Importantly, First Connect isn’t just focused on quantity; it’s refining the quality of connections between agents and carriers. The company has developed unique capabilities that help carriers and MGAs identify agents who are the right fit for their appetite. This precision pairing contributes to both premium growth and favorable loss ratio performance across the board.
Pinkovezky outlined a practical framework that helps carriers and MGAs grow premium while maintaining strong loss ratios, built around three key pillars:
- A well-priced product: Having competitive pricing and a defined underwriting box is the foundation.
- Agent selection: Partnering with agents who align with a carrier’s appetite, clientele, and lead conversion potential is vital.
- Performance monitoring: Continuously tracking agent and program performance enables carriers and MGAs to identify what’s working, address what isn’t, and make data-driven adjustments that improve outcomes over time.
By focusing on matching the right product with the right agent through the right channel, First Connect enables insurers and MGAs to scale efficiently and responsibly. “We’ve been able to do this in a pretty disciplined way with our carrier partners,” said Pinkovezky, further adding that bringing these three elements together has allowed some of First Connect’s partners to double their growth year over year, while still building consistently and maintaining very favorable loss ratios.
The technology layer behind the growth
As First Connect scales, technology plays a key role in streamlining operations and enhancing partner outcomes. Pinkovezky shared that they are building deeper integrations to enable carrier partners to benefit from agents using their platform.
This tech-forward strategy isn’t about replacing human touch; it’s about empowering agents and enabling faster, smarter decision-making. For example, with deeper carrier integration, agents can access quoting tools, bind coverage faster, and reduce friction in the sales process.
A major new partnership: ISC
One of the most exciting announcements from the interview was First Connect’s new partnership with ISC, a leading MGA backed by private equity firm KKR and known for its commercial lines expertise.
According to Pinkovezky, ISC offers fast and seamless quoting and binding, particularly for in-demand products like general liability insurance for contractors. The agents love the ease of use and ability to go from quote to bind in minutes, he shared.
This collaboration further expands First Connect’s value proposition, giving agents access to solutions that meet high-volume, high-need client demands in record time.
Embracing tech without replacing agents
During the discussion, Pinkovezky also shared takeaways from a panel he participated in earlier at the event, particularly around the role of technology and AI in the insurance distribution landscape.
“The goal is not to substitute agents or channels,” he said, “but to make them more efficient, especially in a dynamic and fast-changing market.” As customer expectations evolve and carrier appetites shift, agencies need flexible tools and broad access to deliver competitive solutions quickly.
This is where First Connect’s platform shines. By offering agencies access to a wide network of carriers, MGAs, and wholesalers, the company helps agents remain competitive, no matter how the market moves.
Why optionality matters more than ever
“Gone are the days when an agent could rely on just three, four, or five direct carrier relationships,” Pinkovezky explained.
To stay relevant and meet diverse customer needs, agents need access to a broader portfolio and the digital tools to navigate that complexity. First Connect’s growth reflects this shift, as more agents seek out platforms that provide access, efficiency, and the intelligence to drive results.
The conversation with The Insurer offers a compelling look at First Connect’s transformation from subsidiary to high-growth independent, and the strategy that’s propelling it forward.
From scaling carrier relationships and forging data-driven partnerships to investing in agent-centric technology, First Connect is building a smarter, more agile distribution platform designed for modern insurance.
