Short answer
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro had 2,078 insurance establishments with paid employees in 2023, employing 64,751 people at average pay of $121,017, according to Census County Business Patterns. Carriers employed 46,165 of them, and health insurers 22,425. Safety Insurance Group of Boston is the metro's SEC-listed insurer; it agreed in July 2026 to merge into MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance licenses companies and agents; its consumer hotline is 617-521-7777.
- 2,078 insurance establishments and 64,751 employees in the Boston metro in 2023, with $7.8 billion in payroll.
- Carriers hold 71.3% of the metro's insurance jobs; health insurers alone employ 22,425 at 71 establishments.
- Suffolk County has 387 establishments but 26,071 jobs, at average pay of $146,203.
- Safety Insurance ($1.26 billion in 2025 revenue, 568 employees) agreed on July 23, 2026 to merge into MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp.
- The metro spans two states: check Rockingham and Strafford county agents with the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
On this page
This page is for people in Greater Boston looking at insurance companies: residents checking an insurer or agent, job seekers comparing employers, businesses choosing a broker and vendors selling to carriers and agencies. It gives the Census counts for the seven-county metro, separates carriers from agencies, covers the listed insurer based here and its pending sale, and explains which state regulator to use. It doesn't recommend insurers.
Boston-area insurance in numbers
US Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) 2023, insurance carriers and related activities (NAICS 524), Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area (CBSA 14460):
| Measure | Boston metro, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 2,078 |
| Employees | 64,751 |
| Annual payroll | $7,836,003,000 |
| Average employees per establishment | 31.2 |
| Average annual pay | $121,017 |
| Share of US insurance establishments | 1.18% (of 176,459) |
| Size of establishment | Establishments |
|---|---|
| 1 to 19 employees | 1,759 |
| 20 to 99 employees | 214 |
| 100 or more employees | 105 |
CBP counts locations with paid employees, not companies, so an insurer with offices in Boston and Quincy counts twice; agents working alone aren't included.
Health insurers are the biggest employers
Carriers (NAICS 5241) underwrite and pay claims; agencies, brokerages, adjusters and administrators (NAICS 5242) sell and service policies.
| Segment (NAICS) | Establishments | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carriers (5241) | 374 | 46,165 | $124,392 |
| Health and medical insurers (524114) | 71 | 22,425 | $90,889 |
| Property and casualty insurers (524126) | 184 | 15,208 | $142,817 |
| Life insurers (524113) | 97 | 8,280 | $179,972 |
| Agencies, brokerages and related (5242) | 1,704 | 18,586 | $112,635 |
| Agencies and brokerages (524210) | 1,502 | 12,913 | $116,053 |
| Third-party administrators (524292) | 79 | 4,439 | $96,885 |
| Claims adjusters (524291) | 80 | 577 | $105,763 |
Average pay is our division of CBP payroll by employees. Title insurers (11 establishments) are left out: the Census Bureau flagged their employee count high-noise, meaning its confidentiality noise moved it by 5% or more.
Carriers hold 71.3% of insurance jobs, against 55.8% nationally. Health insurers average 316 employees per establishment, and five have 1,000 or more. Pay runs the other way: health insurer jobs average $90,889, while property and casualty jobs average $142,817 and life insurer jobs $179,972.
Where in the metro
| County | Establishments | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County, Massachusetts | 590 | 9,669 |
| Norfolk County, Massachusetts | 417 | 15,440 |
| Suffolk County, Massachusetts | 387 | 26,071 |
| Essex County, Massachusetts | 273 | 2,798 |
| Plymouth County, Massachusetts | 224 | 4,031 |
| Rockingham County, New Hampshire | 142 | 3,639 |
| Strafford County, New Hampshire | 45 | not reported (high-noise figure) |
Middlesex has the most offices; Suffolk, which is Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop, has the most jobs, 67 per establishment, at average pay of $146,203. Suffolk's 135 carrier establishments employ 21,715, and its 218 agencies and brokerages pay $156,768 on average, which suggests large brokerage offices rather than storefront agencies. Strafford's employee count was published but flagged high-noise, so it's left out.
Safety Insurance and its pending sale
| Company | Headquarters | Business | 2025 revenue | Employees, end 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety Insurance Group | 20 Custom House Street, Boston | Auto, home and commercial P&C in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine | $1.26 billion | 568 |
From its 10-K for 2025, which says all 568 employees work in New England and that its "domestic regulator" is the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. On July 23, 2026, Safety agreed to merge with a subsidiary of MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp., a Massachusetts corporation, and become its wholly owned subsidiary. Its 8-K of September 15, 2026 reported that the federal antitrust waiting period had expired; closing still needs other regulatory approvals. Once it closes, the Boston metro will have no SEC-listed insurer headquartered there. Many large insurers and brokers are based or have big offices in Boston without public 10-K filings. Safety's size against the national leaders is clear from the largest insurance companies in the US list.
Checking a company or agent
- Find the legal insurer on the declarations page; it's often a subsidiary rather than the brand.
- Use the right state. Massachusetts residents use the Massachusetts Division of Insurance (1 Federal Street, Boston; consumer hotline 617-521-7777). Residents of Rockingham and Strafford counties use the New Hampshire Insurance Department (toll-free 800-852-3416). Both numbers are from the NAIC's directory of state departments.
- Read the record. The NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search lets you "look up company complaints, licenses, and financial health" for any insurer.
- Complain in order. The NAIC's guidance is to try the insurer first, then file with the state department, which forwards the complaint and requires a response.
Insurance jobs in Greater Boston
Insurance pays $121,017 on average across the metro, above the national $98,628. The 105 establishments with 100 or more employees include 9 with 1,000 or more, all carriers. For agency careers, the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents runs licensing and continuing education resources and a talent service for member agencies.
Selling to Boston insurers and agencies
| Buyer | Metro establishments | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Agencies with 1 to 4 employees | 919 | Owner |
| Agencies with 5 to 49 | 536 | Principal and operations manager |
| Agencies with 50 or more | 47 | COO, IT and producer leaders |
| Health insurers | 71 | Operations, member services and compliance, at group level |
| Property, casualty and life insurers | 281 | Line-of-business, claims and technology leaders |
Health insurers buy for member service and compliance, property and casualty insurers for claims and underwriting. Use our guide to finding decision makers to work out who signs at each carrier.
Illustrative example. Back Bay Claims Translation and its price are invented; the counts are from CBP 2023.
Back Bay Claims Translation (backbayclaims.example) translates claim documents and calls for insurers at $45,000 a year per contract. Its targets are the metro's 184 property and casualty establishments, starting with the 32 that have 100 or more employees (2 of them in the 1,000-or-more class, which the Census Bureau doesn't publish; derived as the total less the published classes). Winning six contracts in a year is $270,000. Bebop researches each insurer and finds its claims operations leaders.
Next step: compare Boston's insurers with the national leaders in the largest insurance companies list.
Sources
- County Business Patterns 2023, US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- Safety Insurance Group, Inc. Form 10-K for 2025, US Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR), 27 February 2026
- Safety Insurance Group, Inc. Form 8-K: merger agreement with MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp., US Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR), 24 July 2026
- Safety Insurance Group, Inc. Form 8-K: expiry of HSR waiting period, US Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR), 15 September 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
- Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents, MAIA, accessed 30 October 2026
Written by the Bebop team at Blackpearl Group. Published .
Questions people ask
How many insurance companies are in Boston?
The Census Bureau counted 2,078 insurance establishments with paid employees in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro in 2023, employing 64,751 people. 374 were carriers with 46,165 employees, and 1,704 were agencies, brokerages, adjusters and administrators. Suffolk County, which includes the city of Boston, had 387 establishments and 26,071 employees. Establishments are locations, not companies.
What insurance companies are headquartered in Boston?
The SEC-listed insurer headquartered in Boston is Safety Insurance Group, an auto, home and commercial insurer with $1.26 billion in 2025 revenue. In July 2026 it agreed to merge into MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp., a Massachusetts corporation, subject to regulatory approvals. Other large insurers based in Boston are privately or mutually owned and don't file 10-Ks.
How do I check if an insurance company is licensed in Massachusetts?
Contact the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, whose consumer hotline is 617-521-7777, with the legal company name from your policy. The NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search also shows a company's licenses, complaint reports and financial information. If you live in Rockingham or Strafford County, New Hampshire, check with the New Hampshire Insurance Department instead.
Who is buying Safety Insurance?
MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp., a Massachusetts corporation, agreed on July 23, 2026 to acquire Safety Insurance Group through a merger, with Safety becoming its wholly owned subsidiary, according to Safety's 8-K filings. The federal antitrust waiting period expired on September 14, 2026. Closing remains subject to other customary conditions, including further regulatory approvals.