September 2026
Almost every network says you own your book. The sentence is doing a lot of work, and what it means in practice depends on clauses that are rarely on the website.
Ownership of what, exactly
A book of business is several things: the client relationships, the expirations, the policy data, and the carrier appointments the policies sit on. A contract can grant ownership of the first and be silent on the rest.
The questions that reveal it
- If I leave, do my clients' policies move with me, or do they stay on the network's appointments?
- Is there a non-compete, a non-solicit, or a period during which I cannot approach my own clients?
- Is there a fee, a commission share, or a buy-out attached to leaving?
- Does the network have a right of first refusal if I sell?
Why it matters more than the split
A few points of commission changes your income. Ownership changes what your agency is worth on the day you sell it, which for most owners is the largest financial event of their working life.
UAA's ownership answer is on the terms page, in writing, before you talk to anybody.
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