Field Insurance Agency Recognized as One of America’s Fastest-Growing Brokerages in 2026
In an industry increasingly defined by consolidation and the pursuit of scale, Field Insurance Agency of Surfside stands out for doing things differently. Founded in 1968 as a small specialty agency, the firm has spent more than five decades quietly becoming one of the most respected coastal insurance specialists in the Carolinas — and its formula for success is refreshingly straightforward: deep expertise, genuine independence, and an unwavering focus on people.
Coastal insurance is not a niche that rewards generalists. The properties Field Insurance protects — homes, commercial assets, automobiles, and flood-exposed risks along the Atlantic coastline — sit in some of the most complex and volatile insurance environments in the country. Hurricanes, storm surges, and catastrophic weather events are not theoretical risks; they are recurring realities that demand a level of specialist knowledge most agencies simply don't possess.
Field Insurance has spent decades accumulating exactly that knowledge. The firm's deep roots in catastrophe-exposed markets have given it an understanding of coastal risk that goes far beyond standard underwriting — and it shows. Insurance carriers value Field Insurance not just as a distribution partner, but as a firm that brings disciplined underwriting and a precision of detail that protects everyone involved when the inevitable storms arrive. Field Insurance has made a deliberate choice to remain independent. That decision has proved to be a defining competitive advantage. Free from the short-term pressures that drive decision-making inside larger, consolidated organisations, the firm has been able to pursue a patient, disciplined strategy built around organic growth — and the results speak for themselves.
Under the leadership of president and CEO Brian Payne, Field Insurance has delivered double-digit annual growth for more than two decades. Sustaining outperformance of that kind, through market disruptions and hard cycles alike, is not an accident. It is the product of clear long-term vision and the confidence that comes from truly knowing your market. Perhaps the most telling thing about Field Insurance is that Payne credits the firm’s people as the driver behind the success. "We've been doing this for a long time," says Payne. "Our people truly understand this industry. While technology continues to evolve and improve the way we serve clients, the personal attention and service our team provides remain incredibly important. We've done a great job balancing both, and that commitment to our clients continues to drive our success."
That philosophy has shaped a workplace culture that is collaborative and rewarding, while remaining tightly focused on performance and profitability — a balance that is harder to strike than it sounds, and one that Field Insurance has quietly mastered.
More than 50 years after opening its doors, Field Insurance is not resting on its history. In a market that continues to face fresh pressures, the firm’s blend of specialist expertise, fiercely guarded independence, and people-first culture looks less like a legacy and more like a blueprint.