Small insurance business owners who need to delegate the company finances should consider a commercial insurance accounting firm. An accounting or CPA firm is familiar with all financial areas, including taxation and auditing. Choosing to partner with an accounting firm can save a business owner time, money and aggravation.

Beyond that, you need to decide whether you want to partner with a general financial institute or a specialized firm. Ideally, picking a CPA or accountant that specializes in the insurance industry is the way to go, since insurance CPAs are familiar with Managing General Agent (MGA) contract compliance; Systems, Applications and Product (SAP) problem solving; Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) reporting; and reinsurance treaty review.

Choosing insurance accountants is beneficial because:

1. Your CPA will be knowledgeable of the accounting needs of the insurance business.

2. A specialized firm can suggest qualified, industry-specific ideas for making the most out of your revenue.

3. Insurance CPAs can offer industry-specific tools to help you balance your books.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

List the insurance accounting services that your small business needs

CPAs and firms specializing in the insurance industry not only cater to your specific industry, but their individual services also differ. Where some providers of insurance accounting services just prepare federal taxes and generate insurance reports, others provide a range of services, from auditing to advisory services.

I recommend: Smart can handle the just about any financial transaction an insurance company is likely to encounter. Carr, Riggs & Ingram also offers specialized services in the insurance industry.

Find an insurance accounting service with excellent customer service

Customer service is a very important consideration when you outsource an area of your business. If you want to work as a team, then the insurance CPA you partner with must be readily available to you. Look for knowledgeable representatives, prompt response times and regular, detailed updates on the status of your account.

I recommend: Eide Bailly is a national CPA firm that specializes in insurance. The professionals at WithumSmith+Brown offer comprehensive insurance accounting services, and pride themselves on building longterm customer relationships.

Choose from insurance accountants with the right insurance accounting software

When deciding which insurance industry CPA to pick, find out what your prospects have to offer in the way of accounting software. Sure, human expertise is important. But the right tools can help organize your complicated finances and improve the flow of your day-to-day operations.

I recommend: Dixon Hughes has a team of CPAs and software engineers who can customize system to your company's exact specifications. Clifton Gunderson is a leading national CPA firm focused on accounting needs for midsize companies. They can install software or upgrade your current system.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many CPAs and firms specializing in the insurance industry offer web portals where clients can log in to view the status their transactions. The ability to keep an eye your account remotely is a great time saver.