Declaration of Independents: Jill Roth

Who Is Jill Roth, and Why Is She “Declaring Independence”?

“Declaration of Independents” is a fitting headline because Roth’s career is basically a love letter to
independenceindependent thinking, independent advocacy, and yes, the independent agency system.
Before insurance, she worked on Capitol Hill in legislative affairs. After that, she joined her family’s
agency and discovered that insurance is just another way to protect peopleonly with fewer committee
hearings and more endorsements.

Roth didn’t grow up dreaming of policy forms. She grew into them. Her family has been in insurance since
the 1950s, and she became a third-generation agency owner after realizing she genuinely enjoyed the work.
She’s described getting “hooked” quicklydoing marketing projects, prospecting, and then pushing to be
part of perpetuation. That speed tells you something: she doesn’t dabble. She commits.

Today, Roth is also active in the independent agent community at state and national levels. That matters
because the independent channel doesn’t stay independent by accident. It stays independent because people
like Roth decide to show upespecially when it would be easier to complain and log off.

From Capitol Hill to Coverage Files: A Career That Reads Both Bills and Policies

Legislative affairs training: the underrated agency superpower

Most people hear “legislative affairs” and picture a lot of suits saying “circle back” until the sun burns out.
But the useful version is this: you learn how decisions actually get made. You learn the language of trade-offs.
You learn that the best argument isn’t the loudest oneit’s the one that’s clear, documented, and tied to
real-world outcomes.

In insurance, those skills translate beautifully. Coverage questions, underwriting constraints, claims disputes,
regulatory changesthese are all negotiations in different costumes. Roth’s background gives her an advantage:
she can talk about what agents need and why it matters, in a way that resonates beyond the agency office.

Insurance policies are basically legislation with more commas

Roth has said she loves “policy,” whether that means reading legislation or reading a thick commercial auto
policy. That’s not a normal sentence for a human to say, and that’s exactly why it’s valuable. Plenty of
professionals can sell. Fewer can translate. Translation is where trust lives.

And translation is what independent agencies do best: taking complexity (risk) and turning it into decisions
a real person can actually makewithout needing a law degree, a decoder ring, or a free weekend.

“Finding the Win”: Claims Advocacy, Not Claims Cheerleading

“Finding the win” isn’t a pep talk. It’s a working style. When a client says a claim is going sideways,
the agency’s value shows up in the details: what was said, what was documented, what coverage applies,
and what options exist. The “win” might be a coverage clarification, a corrected classification, a missing
endorsement that gets discovered (or avoided next time), or simply helping a client navigate the process
without panicking.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

• You start with facts, not vibes. Dates, photos, invoices, communications, policy period,
  named insured, location, and cause of loss. (Yes, every single time.)
• You map the policy like a GPS. Coverage grant → definitions → exclusions → exceptions
  → conditions → endorsements. If you skip steps, you end up “recalculating route” at the worst moment.
• You advocate without making promises you can’t keep. Great agencies fight for clients,
  but they don’t sell fairy tales. They sell clarity.

Roth’s point is refreshing because it’s honest: the job isn’t always to deliver perfect news. It’s to deliver
the best possible outcomeand to do it with professionalism, persistence, and receipts.

The Independent Agency System: Why Independence Still Matters

Let’s be clear: “independent” doesn’t mean “winging it.” Independent agents are licensed professionals who
can work with multiple carriers, shop coverage options, and tailor solutions to a client’s needs. They aren’t
locked into a single company’s appetite, pricing, or underwriting rules. That flexibility can be a lifesaver
when the market tightens or a risk is unusual.

Independence also changes the relationship. When you can compare carriers and coverages, you can have a
grown-up conversation about trade-offs: premium vs. deductible, endorsements vs. exclusions, admitted vs.
non-admitted options, and risk management steps that reduce both losses and cost.

In plain English: independent agents bring choice, customization, and
advocacy. That trio is exactly why the channel mattersand exactly why leaders like Roth
spend time defending it.

Leading Without a Crown: Roth’s “No Monarchies” Management Style

Roth’s leadership philosophy can be summarized as: no monarchies. She doesn’t believe in
top-down leadership where one person has all the answers and everyone else just “executes.” In an agency,
that’s not leadershipit’s a bottleneck wearing a blazer.

The practical version of “no monarchies” looks like this:

• Right people, right seats. Hiring is strategy. Training is strategy. Keeping talent is
  strategy. If the seats are wrong, the org chart is basically a haunted house map.
• Resources beat speeches. If you want people to excel, give them tools, time, and clear
  authoritynot just a Friday “rah-rah.”
• Confidence with a backup plan. Believe in the program you’re building, but be willing
  to adjust quickly when something isn’t working.

She’s also candid about the hardest part: flexibility. Highly driven leaders love “the win,” and sometimes
the win requires changing the plan mid-flight. That lesson is uncomfortableand transformative.

Market Access in a Hard Market: Why Roth’s AAS Role Gets Nerdy (in a Good Way)

Roth has chaired the AAS Board of Directors (a role tied to overseeing for-profit programs that support
members). That might sound wonky, but here’s the translation: it’s about building tools and options that
help agencies serve clientsespecially when insurance is harder to place.

Hard markets happen when demand is high and supply is low. Premiums rise, underwriting tightens, and
coverage can be harder to find. In those conditions, “market access” stops being a buzzword and becomes
oxygen.

One of the biggest initiatives she’s highlighted is the Big “I” Alliance, designed to support agencies with
market access and related resources. Programs like Alliance Blue are positioned as a way for members to
access specialty/niche coverages and hard-to-find markets. For agencies facing carrier pullbacks or
stricter guidelines, that kind of access can mean the difference between “sorry, can’t help” and “here’s a
viable path forward.”

Why market access isn’t just about “getting a quote”

When the market is tight, clients don’t just need a policythey need an explanation and a strategy. An
agency may need to:

• adjust deductibles or retentions,
• add risk control steps to improve underwriting outcomes,
• move layers (primary vs. excess),
• consider specialty markets,
• or rebuild coverage structure to fit new realities.

That’s the work Roth is pointing at when she talks about programs “taking off” and the importance of
communication. Tools don’t help if members don’t understand how to use them.

Advocacy That Actually Does Something: IIAV, YAC, and InsurPac

Roth’s story is also a blueprint for how agents grow faster: join the rooms where people are solving the
same problems you are. She’s talked about how getting involved with the Independent Insurance Agents of
Virginia (IIAV) helped her in her twentiesbecause she could talk to peers living the same “trials and
tribulations” and realize she wasn’t alone.

Then there’s the national layer: the Young Agents Committee (YAC), which she’s described as eye-opening
because you learn how agencies in other regions fix similar issues. Different markets, same headaches.
Different weather, same renewal stress.

InsurPac: the not-so-glamorous engine behind influence

Roth also served on the InsurPac Board of Directors. InsurPac is associated with supporting advocacy
efforts by funding political participation and relationship-building that helps agents’ issues get heard.
Whether you love politics, hate politics, or try to avoid politics like an unendorsed watercraft, the reality
is that laws and regulations shape the insurance marketplace.

The key point isn’t partisan. It’s structural: if you want a voice, you need a seat. If you want a seat, you
have to show up consistentlyespecially when the topic is complicated and the stakes are boring until
they’re suddenly expensive.

Practical Lessons from Jill Roth’s Playbook

Roth’s career has plenty of titles, but the useful stuff is the mindset. Here are takeaways that apply whether
you run a 3-person shop or a multi-location agency:

1) Be the person who fixes, not the person who fumes

Complaining is easy. Building is harder. If your industry needs better market access, clearer communication,
stronger advocacy, or smarter processesput your hand up.

2) Learn the language of policy (and use it to protect people)

Coverage knowledge isn’t trivia. It’s how you prevent uninsured losses, reduce disputes, and guide clients
through the moments that actually matter.

3) Build your “win” muscle: small wins stack into reputations

A well-handled claim escalation. A renewal strategy that saves coverage. A clear explanation that keeps a
client from making a costly mistake. Those wins compoundand they’re the kind that grow referrals.

4) Lead like a coach, not a crown

If you want scale, stop being the single point of decision. Empower people. Give resources. Document
workflows. Treat leadership like a team sport.

5) Get involved beyond your agency

State associations and national committees aren’t just “extra.” They’re where you get perspective, learn
faster, and influence the environment your business depends on.

FAQ: Declaration of Independents & Jill Roth

What is the “Declaration of Independents” series?

It’s a profile-style spotlight on leaders in the independent insurance channelpeople who combine agency
work with leadership, innovation, and advocacy. Think of it as: “Here’s how real professionals actually do
the job.”

What does Jill Roth do at Ahart, Frinzi & Smith?

She’s an executive vice president at AFS in Alexandria, Virginia, with a background that blends agency
operations, coverage knowledge, and involvement in industry organizations. Her emphasis on advocacy and
“finding the win” shows up both in client service and in industry leadership.

Why should young agents care about associations like IIAV or YAC?

Because your learning curve gets shorter when you’re around peers and mentors who’ve already made the
mistakes you’re about to make. Associations also expose you to best practices, market trends, and leadership
opportunities that can accelerate your career.

Conclusion: Independence, With Receipts

Jill Roth’s “Declaration of Independents” story isn’t just about career highlights. It’s about a particular
kind of professional backbone: do the work, learn the details, show up for the industry, and keep hunting for
the winespecially when the market is tight and the problems are messy.

In a world where it’s tempting to chase shortcuts, Roth’s approach is a reminder that the independent channel’s
real advantage isn’t a slogan. It’s competence plus community. It’s knowing the policy, knowing the process,
and knowing who to call when you need help. And, occasionally, it’s using a commercial auto policy as a
doorstopbecause practicality is also a leadership trait.

Experience Add-On: 10 Scenes from the “Find the Win” Playbook (About )

I can’t claim personal “war stories,” but after analyzing how independent agency leaders describe their work,
you start to see the same scenes repeatbecause the job has rhythms. Below are experience-based moments
that mirror the kind of “find the win” mindset Roth champions.

Scene 1: The claim that starts with “I’m fine” and ends with “I’m not fine”

A client calls calm, but their stress leaks out in the details. “It’s probably nothing” usually means it’s
something. The win is slowing the conversation down, capturing facts, and getting the claim reported correctly
the first timebefore the story mutates.

Scene 2: The renewal that turned into a budget crisis

Premium jumps. Underwriting tightens. The client wants answers yesterday. The win is building options:
adjust structure, improve submissions, explain risk controls, and present trade-offs like a menuclear,
honest, and prioritized.

Scene 3: The coverage question nobody wanted to ask

Someone finally says it: “Are we actually covered for that?” The win isn’t pretending. The win is verifying,
documenting, correcting gaps, and making the client feel informednot embarrassed.

Scene 4: The endorsement that saves the day (and the one that didn’t exist)

Sometimes the win is discovering a helpful endorsement already in place. Other times it’s realizing it’s missing
and building a plan so it’s never missing again. Both are wins, just in different timelines.

Scene 5: The producer-service handoff that could’ve been a disaster

Clients don’t care about internal silos. They care about outcomes. The win is a handoff that includes context,
next steps, and “here’s what success looks like”so the client doesn’t feel passed around like a hot potato.

Scene 6: The hard market “no” that becomes a strategic “not yet”

Capacity dries up. Carriers decline. The win is staying persistent: improving the submission, exploring
specialty markets, and timing the approachbecause the right underwriter plus the right information can
change the outcome.

Scene 7: The “we’ve always done it this way” moment

Agency growth hits a wall. The win is redesigning workflows so the agency doesn’t rely on heroics. Document,
automate where appropriate, train, and let people own their lanes.

Scene 8: The client who needs risk management more than they need another quote

Some problems aren’t solved by shopping harder. The win is advising on safer operations, better contracts,
stronger loss control, or clearer proceduresso underwriting improves and losses decrease.

Scene 9: The policy conversation that turns into trust

Most clients don’t want a lecture. They want clarity. The win is translating coverage into plain English, using
examples that match their world, and confirming understanding without talking down to them.

Scene 10: The industry problem that becomes your “get involved” moment

A market issue, regulatory shift, or technology gap hits your agencyand you realize it’s hitting everyone.
The win is stepping into association work, sharing what you’ve learned, and helping build solutions that
outlast your own inbox.

That’s the quiet power behind Roth’s story: independence isn’t a vibe. It’s a practice. You earn it in the details,
you defend it with participation, and you keep it alive by helping others “find the win,” too.