Short answer
Arkansas had 1,852 insurance establishments with paid employees in 2023, employing 17,167 people, according to Census County Business Patterns: 251 insurance carriers (9,236 employees) and 1,601 agencies, brokerages and related businesses (7,931). 1,169 of the 1,517 agencies had fewer than five employees. No SEC-listed insurer is headquartered in Arkansas. The Arkansas Insurance Department licenses companies and agents, takes complaints and links an Insurance Provider Search for checking a license.
- 1,852 insurance establishments, 17,167 employees and $1.2 billion in payroll in Arkansas in 2023.
- Average insurance pay of $69,922 is the third lowest among the states and DC, against $98,628 nationally.
- Health insurers employ 5,811 people, 63% of Arkansas's carrier jobs.
- 77% of the 1,517 agency and brokerage establishments have fewer than five employees.
- Some insurers are chartered in Arkansas but run from elsewhere; Kinsale Insurance, of Richmond, Virginia, is one.
On this page
This page is for Arkansans comparing insurance companies or checking an agent, for people looking for insurance work in the state, for businesses buying cover, and for vendors who sell to agencies and insurers. It covers the Census counts, the split between carriers and agencies, what "an Arkansas insurance company" can mean, and how to use the Arkansas Insurance Department (AID). It doesn't recommend insurers.
The Census count
US Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) 2023, insurance carriers and related activities (NAICS 524), State of Arkansas:
| Measure | Arkansas, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 1,852 |
| Employees | 17,167 |
| Annual payroll | $1,200,350,000 |
| Average employees per establishment | 9.3 |
| Average annual pay | $69,922 |
| Share of US insurance establishments | 1.05% (of 176,459) |
| Rank among states by establishments | 33rd |
| Employees per establishment | Establishments |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 1,367 |
| 5 to 9 | 266 |
| 10 to 19 | 123 |
| 20 to 49 | 55 |
| 50 to 99 | 19 |
| 100 to 249 | 10 |
| 250 to 499 | 9 |
| 500 to 999 | not published |
| 1,000 or more | not published |
The Census Bureau doesn't publish the two largest size classes for Arkansas; the total less the published classes leaves 3 establishments with 500 or more employees between them, so there are 22 with 100 or more. CBP counts locations with paid staff, not companies, and leaves out agents who work alone.
Mostly small agencies, with a health-insurer core
Carriers underwrite policies and pay claims (NAICS 5241). Agencies and brokerages sell policies for carriers, and related firms adjust claims or administer plans (NAICS 5242).
| Segment (NAICS) | Establishments | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carriers (5241) | 251 | 9,236 | $72,803 |
| Health and medical insurers (524114) | 75 | 5,811 | $78,672 |
| Property and casualty insurers (524126) | 112 | 1,908 | $53,203 |
| Life insurers (524113) | 45 | 1,271 | not reported (high-noise payroll) |
| Agencies, brokerages and related (5242) | 1,601 | 7,931 | $66,567 |
| Agencies and brokerages (524210) | 1,517 | 6,129 | $62,525 |
| Third-party administrators (524292) | 36 | 1,671 | $80,609 |
| Claims adjusters (524291) | 41 | 102 | $79,549 |
Average pay comes from dividing CBP payroll by employees. The life insurers' payroll was published but flagged high-noise by the Census Bureau (its confidentiality noise moved it by 5% or more), so their average pay isn't shown.
Two numbers define the market. Health insurers hold 63% of carrier jobs, at 77.5 employees per establishment, while property and casualty carriers average 17. And an Arkansas agency averages four employees: 1,169 of the 1,517 have fewer than five. When you search for insurance companies in Arkansas, the results near you are almost all agencies, selling for carriers based in Arkansas or anywhere else.
Chartered in Arkansas, run from elsewhere
No SEC-listed insurer has its head office in Arkansas. But a company's charter state (its domicile) and its headquarters can differ. Kinsale Capital Group's 10-K for 2025 says Kinsale Insurance Company "is an Arkansas-domiciled insurance company" eligible to write excess and surplus lines business in all 50 states, while all 720 of Kinsale's employees work at its headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. Arkansas law governs any change of control of Kinsale Insurance, and it files an annual registration statement with the AID. For the country's biggest insurers by premium and revenue, see the largest insurance companies in the US.
Checking a company or agent
- Read the declarations page for the legal name of the insurer, which may not match the brand.
- Run the Insurance Provider Search. The state portal describes it as a tool to "search for insurance providers that are licensed to operate in the state of Arkansas," filtered by type, location and services. It opens the NAIC's licensing lookup.
- Check the complaint and financial record in the NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search, which covers complaints, licenses and financial health.
- File a complaint if you need to. The AID takes complaints through an online form, or by email, fax (501-371-2749) or mail to its Consumer Services Division at 1 Commerce Way, Little Rock. Its consumer line is 800-852-5494, per the NAIC's directory of state departments.
One thing to know before you file: the AID says complaints submitted to it are subject to public record disclosure. Keep the complaint factual, as the NAIC advises, with dates, policy and claim numbers and what you want to happen.
Insurance jobs and pay
Arkansas's average insurance pay, $69,922, is the third lowest among the 50 states and DC (after Wyoming and New Mexico) and about $28,700 below the national average of $98,628, both our calculations from CBP. The better-paid jobs are at health insurers ($78,672) and administrators ($80,609). Large employers are few: 22 establishments have 100 or more employees, and 7 of the carriers' offices have 250 to 499. For employer contacts across Arkansas business, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas publish a membership directory.
Selling to Arkansas agencies and insurers
| Buyer | Arkansas establishments | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Agencies with 1 to 4 employees | 1,169 | The owner, often also the main producer |
| Agencies with 5 or more | 348 | Owner with an office manager |
| Health insurers | 75 | Operations and compliance leaders |
| Administrators and adjusters | 77 | Owner or operations lead |
An Arkansas agency sale is an owner sale: short cycles, low budgets, decided on one call. Price for a four-person office. Our guide to finding decision makers helps with the few larger buyers.
Illustrative example. Ozark Agency Phones and its price are invented; the counts are from CBP 2023.
Ozark Agency Phones (ozarkphones.example) sells a hosted phone system with call recording for compliance at $1,200 a year per agency. Arkansas has 1,517 agency establishments. If 60% are independent and reachable by phone and email, and 5% of those switch in a year, that's 46 agencies, or $55,200 a year. The 348 agencies with five or more staff are worth calling first: more lines per sale. Bebop builds that list and the owner's name for each.
Next step: see the national insurers ranked in the largest insurance companies list.
Sources
- County Business Patterns 2023, US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- File a complaint, Arkansas Insurance Department, accessed 30 October 2026
- AR Insurance Provider Search, State of Arkansas (portal.arkansas.gov), accessed 30 October 2026
- Insurance Department Directory, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, accessed 30 October 2026
- Consumer resources and Consumer Insurance Search, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, accessed 30 October 2026
- How do I file a complaint against my insurance company?, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 10 March 2026
- Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. Form 10-K for 2025, US Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR), 20 February 2026
- Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, accessed 30 October 2026
Written by the Bebop team at Blackpearl Group. Published .
Questions people ask
What insurance companies are in Arkansas?
The Census Bureau counted 1,852 insurance establishments with paid employees in Arkansas in 2023: 251 carriers that underwrite policies and 1,601 agencies, brokerages, adjusters and administrators. Most are small; 1,169 of the 1,517 agencies have fewer than five employees. To see which insurers are licensed to sell in Arkansas, use the state's Insurance Provider Search, linked from the Arkansas Insurance Department.
How do I check if an insurance company is licensed in Arkansas?
Use the Insurance Provider Search on the Arkansas state portal, which searches insurance providers licensed to operate in Arkansas and opens the NAIC's licensing lookup. Search the exact company name on your policy. The NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search adds complaint and financial reports. If you're unsure, call the Arkansas Insurance Department's consumer line on 800-852-5494.
How do I file a complaint with the Arkansas Insurance Department?
Use the department's online complaint form, or print the form and send it by email, by fax to 501-371-2749, or by mail to the Consumer Services Division, 1 Commerce Way, Suite 102, Little Rock, AR 72202. Include the policy and claim numbers, the agent or adjuster's name and the date of the problem. Complaints are subject to public record disclosure.
Are any insurance companies headquartered in Arkansas?
No SEC-listed insurer has its head office in Arkansas. Insurers can still be chartered there: Kinsale Insurance Company is Arkansas-domiciled although its parent, Kinsale Capital Group, is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, according to its 10-K. Privately owned and mutual insurers based in Arkansas don't file with the SEC; the Insurance Provider Search shows who is licensed.