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Monday–Friday · 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET·independent · Insuring businesses nationwide
About · Kevin A. Smith
Kevin A. Smith — Licensed Business Insurance Agent
Kevin A. Smith is a Florida-licensed business insurance agent at Ellie Insurance Group with experience placing business insurance since 2014. Kevin focuses exclusively on business insurance and works on contractor, trucking, real estate investor, restaurant, retail, professional services, and manufacturing accounts. His approach is simple: get your submission right the first time, market your account across 100+ carrier markets, and be your real point of contact for certificates, audits, and policy changes.
At a Glance
- License
- FL 2-20 (P&C)
- Coverage area
- Tampa, FL HQ · nationwide
- Markets
- 100+ carriers
- Phone
- 813-582-5215
Written & reviewed by
Kevin A. Smith
Licensed Business Insurance Agent · Ellie Insurance Group
Kevin A. Smith is a Florida-licensed business insurance agent at Ellie Insurance Group with experience placing business insurance since 2014. Kevin focuses exclusively on business insurance and works on contractor, trucking, real estate investor, restaurant, retail, professional services, and manufacturing accounts. His approach is simple: get your submission right the first time, market your account across 100+ carrier markets, and be your real point of contact for certificates, audits, and policy changes.
- Florida 2-20 General Lines (Property & Casualty) licensed agent
- Member · Trusted Choice
- Member · Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big "I")
- Member · Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA)
Expertise & focus
Where Kevin spends most of his time
Contractor & construction risk
GL, WC, commercial auto, and equipment for GCs, subs, and specialty trades across Florida and nationally.
Trucking & motor carrier
FMCSA-filed liability, motor truck cargo, non-trucking liability, and federal filings for owner-operators and fleets.
Real estate investor portfolios
Landlord, vacant, fix-and-flip, STR, apartment, and commercial-building placement.
Florida property & wind
Wind-eligible placement, roof-age underwriting, AOB-aware programs, and Citizens depopulation when needed.
Independent placement & E&S
Hundreds of admitted and surplus-lines carriers — no captive-market limits on appetite.
Same-day certificates
Most COIs issued within 1–2 hours during business hours.
Credentials
License and carrier access
License
- Florida Resident License: 2-20 General Lines (Property & Casualty)
- Licensed since 2014 · placing business insurance accounts
- Headquartered in Tampa, FL · serving commercial businesses nationwide
- Affiliations: Trusted Choice · Big "I" (IIABA) · FAIA
Carrier access
Ellie Insurance Group maintains direct and broker relationships with 100+ admitted and surplus-lines carriers. That gives Kevin and the team the ability to shop nearly any commercial class across appetite tiers, including specialty programs for harder Florida classes (roofing, demo, framing, trucking, restaurants, and STR investors).
Published articles
Resources written and reviewed by Kevin
Coverage comparisons
Additional Insured vs Certificate Holder: What Business Owners Should Know
An additional insured is an entity added to another's insurance policy, gaining direct coverage and protection under that policy, often required by contract [3]. A certificate holder, conversely, merely receives a…
Compliance & renewals
Auto Repair Shop Insurance Checklist
An auto repair shop insurance checklist is vital for ensuring comprehensive protection against the unique risks faced by the automotive service industry. Key coverages include Garage Liability, Garagekeepers Liability,…
Coverage comparisons
BOP vs General Liability Insurance: What Is the Difference?
The primary difference between BOP vs General Liability insurance lies in their scope: General Liability (GL) covers third-party bodily injury and property damage, while a Business Owners Policy (BOP) bundles GL with…
Trucking
Box-Truck and Final-Mile Brokered Freight: Insurance Before Dispatch
A final-mile operator might deliver one retailer's own merchandise, accept broker-arranged warehouse-to-store loads or subcontract furniture deliveries. The trucks look alike, but the transportation role, contracts,…
Trucking
Broker and Shipper Insurance Requests: A Motor Carrier's COI Checklist
A broker says, “Send your insurance certificate so we can add you.” The tempting response is to forward the last COI on your phone. That may not be enough—and asking an agent to type new protections onto the certificate…
Trucking
Brokered Expedite Loads: Cargo Van and Hot-Shot Insurance Questions
An expediting broker offers a time-sensitive load and asks whether your cargo van or pickup-and-trailer is insured “for hot shot.” Equipment labels do not determine federal requirements. The right response depends on…
Trucking
Brokered Freight Cargo Insurance: Reefer, Theft and High-Value Loads
A $100,000 cargo limit on a certificate is not a yes-or-no answer for a load worth $100,000. The commodity might be restricted, the limit might apply per vehicle or claim, a deductible might change the economics, or…
Coverage explainers
Builders Risk Insurance Explained: Who Needs It and What It Covers
Builders risk insurance helps protect a building or project while it is under construction, renovation, or major improvement. It can cover materials, fixtures, and covered property at the jobsite, but the exact…
Compliance & renewals
Business Insurance Checklist: What to Review Before Renewal
Before renewing your business insurance, it is absolutely essential to conduct a thorough and comprehensive review of your current coverage. This process involves carefully assessing any significant changes that have…
Compliance & renewals
7 Certificate of Insurance Mistakes That Get Contractors Booted Off Jobs
Most certificate of insurance (COI) rejections come from a short list of fixable errors — blanket additional insured wording where a specific named endorsement is required, a missing waiver of subrogation, no primary…
State requirements
Commercial Auto Insurance Florida: What Businesses Need to Know
Commercial auto insurance in Florida is essential for businesses that use vehicles for work, whether it's a single car for client visits or a fleet of delivery trucks. It covers liability for accidents, medical…
Coverage comparisons
Commercial Auto vs Personal Auto Insurance
Commercial auto insurance is specifically designed to cover vehicles used for business purposes, offering broader protection than a personal auto policy. If you use a vehicle for work-related activities, such as…
Keep reading
Explore related coverage
About Ellie Insurance Group
Independent agency overview, license, and carrier markets.
Tampa Office
625 E Twiggs Street — downtown Tampa.
Brooksville Office
18126 Powell Road — Hernando County.
Resources & Blog
Articles written and reviewed by Kevin.
Instant Quote
Start a quote in minutes.
Contact
Direct line to the agency.
Carrier access
Access to 100+ A-rated commercial markets
As an independent agency we shop 100+ admitted and surplus-lines carrier markets — so the carrier competes for your business, not the other way around.
+75 more
Next step
Ready to shop commercial coverage?
Start an instant quote or speak with a commercial agent. We'll review available markets and the carrier's requirements before coverage can be bound.