First, let's have a quick review of the various insurance broker categories. You seem to be asking if there are variations. Yes!
Let's begin with the captive insurance brokers. They are exactly what their name implies: captive agents. They are limited to selling you policies from the one insurance provider they work for. Farmers, Allstate, American Family, Nationwide, etc., are all insurance companies that use captive agents. Not the best option if you want an agent to help you get the most affordable policy. Whether you need auto, home, life, health, business, etc., insurance, a captive agent can only provide you with a quote from the insurance company they work for. While I'm sure a competent captive agent can be located, I would caution against counting on a captive insurance agent to provide optimal service.
The next kind of representative is your direct agent. Captive insurance agents are similar to these in that they can provide you with just insurance quotations from the company they work for. One key distinction is that a direct agent usually operates out of an office, like a call center. A Safe Auto agent or a General agent are both excellent examples of direct agents. Agents like this will field calls from customers who saw the ads. The sale and closing can take place over the phone immediately after you call in. They are only able to provide you with a price from the company they work for, which brings us back to our original point. If you have an urgent need for insurance and don't have time to search around, this is the way to go.
The final category would consist of free agents. An independent Brooklyn insurance broker works with several different insurers. This in no way authorizes them to shop around for the cheapest insurance for you. They need something called an appointment in order to write insurance for that firm. Independent producers that meet the companies' production goals are given an appointment to discuss the services they offer. Independent agencies of fewer people may not be able to represent as many clients as huge firms. Therefore, not all free agents are created equal. Appointments are heavier at some firms than at others. Any major insurance market agent fits this description.
