Insurance expertise for the business you are building
Independent insurance program and insurtech advisory for founders, growing companies, and established businesses.
I help companies build and improve their insurance programs, and help insurtech teams develop products and operations grounded in how insurance actually works. You work directly with me, with more than 25 years of experience behind the advice.
A direct working relationship
I bring senior experience, independent judgment, and a practical view of what needs to happen next. Engagements range from a focused second opinion to ongoing support for your team.
I provide independent advisory services. For insurance program engagements, I work alongside your broker to strengthen strategy and help keep execution aligned with your priorities.
Insurance Program Advisory
An insurance program that keeps up with your business
Whether you are arranging coverage for the first time, preparing for renewal, or questioning an existing program, I help you understand what you need and how to move forward. My role is to bring structure, scrutiny, and experienced judgment to the process.
How I can help
Program design. Build or refine coverage around your operations, exposures, and stage of growth.
Coverage review. Assess limits, deductibles, exclusions, and gaps so you understand the choices in front of you.
Renewal planning. Set priorities, timelines, and a market approach before decisions become urgent.
Broker oversight. Evaluate broker strategy, coordinate expectations, and keep the process moving.
Independent second opinions. Compare proposals and coverage recommendations before making a significant decision.
Ongoing program advisory. Keep insurance aligned as your business changes, from new products and locations to shifts in operations.
Embedded and affinity programs. Shape coverage structure and partner strategy for programs connected to your customers, members, or platform.
Who I work with
Pre-seed and early-stage founders, growing companies without a full-time risk leader, and established businesses that need additional expertise. My experience spans technology, general commercial business, real estate, sharing economy, and mobility, including companies with independent contractors, shared assets, and subscription models.
Insurtech Advisory
Practical insurance judgment for what you are building
I help insurtech founders and teams connect product ideas with the realities of coverage, underwriting, carrier relationships, and client delivery. That can mean reviewing a customer-facing report, preparing for a carrier conversation, or helping establish the insurance operations behind a new business.
How I can help
Product and coverage logic. Review how insurance concepts are interpreted and presented so product decisions reflect how coverage works.
Data and underwriting. Identify the exposure information that matters and assess whether inputs and outputs support sound insurance decisions.
Workflows and user experience. Review intake questions and customer journeys through an insurance lens, including where information or explanations are missing.
Reports and market messaging. Strengthen the accuracy, clarity, and credibility of reports, website language, and customer-facing recommendations.
Carrier relationships. Develop a clear approach to carrier relationships, market positioning, and productive insurance conversations.
Partner strategy. Assess how broker, carrier, and distribution relationships fit the business and support delivery.
Founder and team advisory. Bring experienced insurance judgment to ongoing decisions as your product and operation take shape.
Who I work with
Pre-seed through growth-stage insurtechs, insurance platforms, and technology teams developing products, preparing for launch, or building carrier and distribution relationships.
About James Rose
Experience across the program and the operation
I’m James Rose, an independent insurance advisor with more than 25 years in commercial insurance and brokerage. I’ve built teams, led major client relationships, designed and restructured programs, and worked directly with carriers on risks that do not fit standard models.
As one of ABD’s original employees following its spinout from Wells Fargo Insurance Services, I helped establish the brokerage’s insurance operations, with work spanning carrier relationships, market strategy, and client delivery. I developed many of the tools and materials supporting that work, including proposals, premium and rate comparisons, renewal strategies, and stewardship reports. I later led commercial risk and technology teams. ABD went on to merge with Newfront, which was purchased by WTW in 2026.
At Marsh, I led the U.S. Sharing Economy & Mobility practice, advising companies operating with independent contractors, shared assets, and emerging risk profiles. My broader experience spans technology, general commercial business, real estate, and mobility, including autonomous vehicles, micromobility, and last-mile delivery.
That combination shapes the work I do today. For insurance buyers, I help turn complicated coverage and market decisions into a workable program and a clear plan. For insurtech teams, I bring the perspective of someone who has built the tools, managed the relationships, and delivered the work their products need to support.
Clients work directly with me. I ask questions, explain the tradeoffs, and help move the work forward.
Engagements and contact
Engagement options
The right arrangement depends on the decision in front of you and how much support you need. I work on focused projects, provide ad hoc advice, and stay involved through ongoing engagements.
One-time projects. A defined review or deliverable, such as a program assessment, renewal strategy, product review, or carrier strategy review. Scope, timing, and fees are agreed before work begins.
Ad hoc advice. As-needed support for a particular question, decision, or assignment, without a recurring commitment. Ad hoc work carries a higher hourly fee than a comparable ongoing engagement.
Ongoing advisory. Recurring support for leadership teams, renewals, product development, or insurance operations. Preferred pricing reflects an agreed scope and time commitment.
Minimum engagement: one hour. Fees are discussed privately and confirmed in a written engagement. Defined projects may be structured around an agreed project fee.
Get in touch
Whether you’re reviewing your company’s insurance, preparing for renewal, or building an insurtech product or business, I’d be happy to hear what you’re working on.
Tell me a little about what you need. We can start with a short conversation to see where my experience could help.
I’m available for one-time consultations, specific projects, and ongoing advisory support. Advisory engagements have a one-hour minimum, with scope and fees agreed before work begins.
Most inquiries receive a response within one business day.
