InsuranceNoodle celebrates five-year anniversary.

Insurance e-broker InsuranceNoodle has a lot to celebrate. After five years in the business, the company has received more than 116,000 requests for quotes and 33,000 written policies--making it what it says is the leading Internet-based distributor of small business insurance.

Each day brings about 150 new business quote requests from more than 2,000 NoodleNetwork agencies across the United States that use InsuranceNoodle's proprietary, Web-based technology platform to write and service small-commercial business. These agencies can also provide customers with access to 11 carriers, including five of the top six national small-commercial carriers. Carriers include AIG, Chubb, CNA, Encompass, The Hartford, Markel, OneBeacon, Philadelphia Insurance Cos., Safeco Insurance Corp., St. Paul Travelers and Zurich.

InsuranceNoodle's current line of commercial products includes such products as business owners' policy, directors and officers liability, commercial auto, umbrella insurance, workers' compensation, employment practices liability insurance, professional liability and surety bonds.

"We've proven over the past five years that our business model works," said CEO Kathryn Emmerson. "By applying technology, small-commercial business can be distributed in a more efficient manner. That was the premise we started out with five years ago, and we've stayed focused on that ever since."

She said the past five years also have proven that independent agents are at the heart of the insurance relationship and are "the key, trusted adviser to the small-business owner." Agents also are embracing the InsuranceNoodle model because of its ease of doing business and the availability of products they need and want. "We survey agencies and ask them what they need. Two years ago, they wanted personal lines. It wasn't a core competency for us, but we engaged with some carriers and now provide products in certain states in the personal lines area," Emmerson said.

Andrew Wood, chief operating officer, agrees that agents play a critical role in the process. When the company began five years ago, its management team thought customers would be ready to purchase insurance over the Internet. "But that's not true," he said. "Agents are at the center of the insurance transaction, and we're here to cater to them."

Carriers also are finding much value from the InsuranceNoodle business model. "We've been able to work with them in ways they want to be worked with:' said Wood. "Also, we've given them business they have wanted and that's very profitable for them to write. We haven't tried to put a square peg into a round hole."

InsuranceNoodle continuously reviews, upgrades and expands its site to improve and enhance features and functionality. It also continues to look at new products to add to its mix. Recently, the company added St. Paul Travelers' VisionPak suite for technology companies; OneBeacon Insurance Groups' OnePac P&C solution; and AIG's e-Truck program for owner-operated, long-haul trucking companies.

But, as in any situation, success isn't attained without a few challenges along the way. "This was a new concept and a new business model, and initially insurance companies were skeptical and concerned that we were aggregating business from across the U.S. with agencies that they didn't think we would know," said Emmerson. But she said the company's proven that with technology and good people, InsuranceNoodle has a winning concept.