Inside Indiana’s Big “I”: Advocacy, Community, & The Future Of Independent Agencies with Steve Duff

Insurance sounds straightforward—until markets tighten, umbrellas shrink, and carriers pull back. In this episode, we sit down with Steve Duff, CEO of the Big “I” of Indiana, to unpack what’s really shaping the future of independent agencies. From rising premiums and courtroom pressures to capital, consolidation, and community, Steve brings clarity to the forces colliding across the industry—and what it takes to keep local expertise strong when the stakes are high.

Steve shares his journey from a 22-year-old lobbyist to association leader and opens the playbook on how Indiana sustains a resilient property-casualty market through targeted advocacy, practical education, and intentional connection. It’s a candid look at leadership, market realities, and the systems that help agencies not just survive—but stand up stronger.

Key Topics We Cover

• Indiana’s association structure and why it works
• Shifts from classroom CE to online learning
• Community building through low‑cost events
• Legal support, E&O access, and M&A guidance
• Agency consolidation, valuations, and regeneration
• AI as efficiency, not a relationship replacement
• How lobbying actually works at the Statehouse
• Tort reform priorities and nuclear verdict costs
• Third‑party litigation funding and transparency
• Perpetuation planning and leadership lessons

We close by connecting the dots between the Statehouse, the courthouse, and your clients’ premiums. Steve explains how education-first lobbying, coalition building, and targeted tort reform could stabilize capacity and pricing—and why nuclear verdicts ultimately hit everyday families, farms, and small fleets. He also reflects on leadership lessons learned, the responsibility of serving members well, and his goal to leave the association stronger than he found it.

If you care about keeping insurance local, affordable, and smart, this episode delivers insight you can use now. Subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question—we’ll feature listener feedback in an upcoming episode