Overview

First Mark Insurance is a fully remote, Washington-based insurance agency serving clients nationwide. With over 60 team members—including licensed agents, client care specialists, and international back-office support—the agency brings a tech-forward, human-centered approach to simplifying insurance.

Focused 70% on personal lines and 30% on commercial, First Mark is growing rapidly, powered by high-intent inbound leads and a strong emphasis on streamlining every part of the quoting process.

“We’re built on people. We’ve got real people answering phones 8:30 to 5—local and responsive. That’s a big part of who we are, and we look for that same commitment in the vendors we work with.”
‍Christina Lynch, Operations Leader at First Mark Insurance

The Challenge

At First Mark Insurance, quoting without a client’s current insurance information is simply not an option. As a trusted advisor, they make recommendations based on real coverage details. This firm policy safeguards accuracy and consistently leads to higher close rates. However, gathering that information has traditionally been a messy, inefficient process.

“We won’t even start the process without prior dec pages. Before Canopy, clients were emailing, texting photos, or even mailing them in. It was chaotic—and it held up or completely stopped the sales process.”

The process didn’t just slow down workflows. It also placed an unnecessary burden on prospects. Agents were stuck chasing follow-ups, deciphering blurry images, and trying to piece together incomplete information. Critical details were often missed, costing both time and opportunities.

“Trying to read a tiny photo of a dec page from a text message—where half of it’s cut off and the client doesn’t realize it—just wasn’t sustainable.”

The Canopy Connect Solution

Canopy Connect was embedded directly into First Mark’s lead capture process. When a prospect completes a quote request on the agency’s website, they’re instantly routed to Canopy Connect to share their insurance information. If a lead calls instead, agents send their personal Canopy link via text message.

“Once they fill out the form, it automatically takes them to Canopy Connect so they can upload their dec pages right there. If they don’t finish the process, our agents follow up and send their individual links.”

The result is a seamless, embedded workflow that reduces friction and accelerates quoting. Agents can focus on selling instead of chasing documents.

“Being able to get what they need, get the process started, and move on to the next—that’s life-changing for our agents. Especially when you’ve got 80 to 100 new prospects a week.”

Results & Impact

• 100% of corporate leads require Canopy – First Mark mandates that all radio/podcast-sourced leads go through Canopy Connect.
  
  
• 80% of agents actively use Canopy – With consistent adoption, agents spend less time tracking down documents and more time selling.
  
  
• Significant increase in efficiency – 60% more declaration pages collected with Canopy Connect, enabling faster quoting and far less back-and-forth.
  
  
• Improved client experience – Prospects no longer have to deal with clunky email chains or photographing paperwork.

“Canopy Connect is such a core part of our process now—it’s not just a convenience tool. It’s completely changed the way we offer insurance and guide our clients.”

And from an operational perspective, the platform is easy to manage and scale.

“It’s so easy to go in and add new people to the platform. It’s not a big, lengthy thing. That’s huge for us. My goal is to make our agents’ lives easier—and Canopy has been huge for that.”

A Culture Fit That Goes Beyond Technology

First Mark places a high value on human support and responsiveness—a trait they found mirrored in Canopy Connect’s onboarding and customer success.

“Our rep was phenomenal—jumped on training calls, answered every question, and was just always there. That stood out to me because most companies these days only offer a chatbot. That’s not practical when you’re trying to run a business.”

Industry Perspective

As a tech-forward agency, First Mark prioritizes tools that improve efficiency, elevate client experience, and fuel growth. Canopy Connect delivers on all three.

“We’re a very tech-heavy company. If we’re not, we’re going to get left behind.”

For other agencies looking to streamline quoting and close more business faster, the message is clear:

“If you’re serious about growth, about your client’s experience, and about operational excellence, Canopy is a no-brainer. It’s easy to implement, and it delivers.”

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