Independent vs. Captive Agent Pay: What Texas Agents Actually Earn

The short version

Captive agents typically earn 8–10% on new personal-lines business and 2–4% on renewals, with the carrier owning the book. Independent agents commonly earn 10–15% on both new and renewals — and they own the book. Over a 5-year horizon the gap is significant.

A realistic 5-year comparison

Assume an agent writes $400k of premium per year. As a captive, renewals stack at a lower rate and you don't own the book at the end. As an independent at Go Maggie, the same production builds a compounding renewal stream you control.

• Year 1 captive: ~$32k commission. Year 1 independent: ~$50k + base.
• Year 5 captive renewals: ~$40k. Year 5 independent renewals: ~$120k+.
• Book value at Year 5: $0 captive vs. ~2.5–3.5x revenue independent.

Why renewals matter more than new business

New business is exciting, but renewals are the asset. The independent model lets you stack renewals year after year on the same book — that's how producers build six- and seven-figure recurring income without grinding harder every January.