Heffernan Insurance Brokers

F. Michael Heffernan founded the firm in 1988 and serves as its Chairman. The brokerage is privately held, with equity distributed among its partners and senior producers rather than traded publicly or held by a private equity sponsor. That partnership model is a defining feature, aligning producer incentives directly with long-term client service and firm growth.

Heffernan operates as a full-service independent brokerage. Core lines include commercial property and casualty insurance for middle-market businesses, employee benefits consulting and administration, personal lines for high-net-worth individuals, and retirement plan services. The firm also maintains specialty desks for executive risk (D&O, E&O), surety bonds, and industry-specific programs in construction, nonprofits, and technology.

The firm's headquarters are in Walnut Creek, California, and its office network is heavily concentrated on the West Coast. It maintains locations across Northern and Southern California as well as the Pacific Northwest. While many clients are regional, the firm's specialty practices and Surety capabilities can serve accounts nationally.

No. Heffernan Insurance Brokers is a pure-play independent insurance brokerage and benefits consulting firm. It does not manage third-party capital, invest in operating companies through a venture arm, or offer wealth management services through a registered investment advisor subsidiary.

The firm competes with large public brokers — Marsh McLennan, Aon, Gallagher — by emphasizing its independent partnership structure. Without shareholders demanding quarterly margin expansion, Heffernan's producers own their books and make local underwriting-market decisions. For middle-market companies, that often translates to broader carrier access, higher producer continuity, and faster decision-making on coverage placement than consolidated national houses.