The Baldwin Group vs Simply Business

The 2025 Form 10-K describes The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. as an insurance distribution firm and holding-company parent and sole managing member of The Baldwin Insurance Group Holdings, LLC. That filing uses “Baldwin” for the Inc. parent and its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates. The January 1, 2026 transparency disclosure defines “The Baldwin Group” as Holdings LLC and its affiliated entities; the September 14, 2026 investor release uses “The Baldwin Group” as the brand for the Inc. parent and affiliates. These source-specific group descriptions do not identify the licensed producer or insurer for a particular policy. ^1,2,9Company-reported. The Baldwin Group's consolidated US and international corporate group as described in its 2025 filing; not a claim that the parent company is the licensed producer, managing general agent, or insurer for any particular policy.

On September 14, 2026, The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. entered a merger agreement with The Baldwin Insurance Group Holdings, LLC (“OpCo LLC”), Square Acquisition Parent, Inc. (“Parent”), Square Acquisition Merger Sub I, Inc. (“Merger Sub”), and Square Acquisition Merger Sub II, LLC (“LLC Merger Sub”). The SEC filing says Parent is wholly owned by Sequence AI Holdings, Inc. DFO Management, LLC and affiliated investment entities committed equity financing to Parent; DFO is not identified as Parent’s owner. Subject to the agreement’s conditions, LLC Merger Sub will merge into OpCo LLC and OpCo LLC survives; Merger Sub will merge into the Company, which survives as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. The agreement separately calls for OpCo LLC to form Seller LLC, which forms Seller Intermediate and Seller Merger Sub; after the initial mergers, Seller Merger Sub will merge into OpCo LLC. Seller Merger Sub is distinct from Square Acquisition Merger Sub II, LLC. The filing also says that Holders, as defined in the Stockholders Agreement, of a majority of the Class B shares held by those Holders executed a written consent; approval by holders of at least a majority of outstanding voting shares remained a closing condition. On September 28, 2026, Baldwin’s site still carried the go-private announcement and its release forecast a Q1 2027 close; these sources do not establish a completed acquisition. ^11,12,9,10Company-reported. The signed control transaction as named and described in the September 14, 2026 SEC Form 8-K and merger agreement; status retained as pending on the packet review date, September 28, 2026. DFO is identified as an equity financier to Parent, not as Parent’s owner in the reviewed filing.

Baldwin’s License page has a “Legal Entity | CA License Number” table listing six entities and their California numbers. The page does not identify license class or current status, or map an entry to a particular product, policy, or placement. ²⁵Company-reported. Baldwin’s own California-number disclosure, accessed September 29, 2026; license class, current status and placement-specific authority are not stated.

Simply Business describes its U.S. service as an online commercial-insurance marketplace and licensed producer connecting business customers with insurers. Its June 30, 2026 Terms identify Simply Business, LLC and Harborway Insurance Agency, LLC d/b/a Harborway Insurance as licensed producers, with Harborway a Simply Business subsidiary; the Terms say Harborway policies are underwritten by Spinnaker Insurance Company. Other site policies are underwritten by third-party providers, so the selected issuer depends on the offer and policy. These roles and license statements are company-reported. The contact-page footer says Simply Business, LLC is licensed in all U.S. states and D.C.; for California it says the company operates under the name Simply Business Insurance Agency, LLC and displays License #0M20593. The footer also lists Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas operating names; it gives no other license identifiers. No regulator lookup was performed or required for this candidate. ^26,27,39,28Company-reported. U.S. commercial insurance distribution described by the company. Simply Business, LLC, Simply Business, Inc., Harborway Insurance Agency, LLC, the stated parent and each policy issuer are distinct. The Inc./LLC relationship remains unresolved.

Baldwin’s business-insurance quote page shows a three-step online intake. Its visible first step asks for a revenue band, company and headquarters details, and contact information; the “Get a quote” link points to app.foundershield.com. Baldwin’s business page and contact page also invite prospects to speak with an advisor. The reviewed evidence does not establish a completed quote, purchase, or policy bind through this route. ^5,6,3,7Company-reported. The specific business-insurance quote page inspected on September 28, 2026; the first of three steps was visible and its quote link pointed to app.foundershield.com. Do not generalize this route to all Baldwin commercial prospects or products.

The company advertises online quotes and weekday phone access to licensed agents. Its Terms say a quote is not guaranteed and Simply Business cannot bind a risk without panel-member approval; a quote or online purchase path does not establish that every applicant can bind online. ^28,27Company-reported. Published U.S. quote and service channels. Binding depends on panel-member approval and the individual offer.

For business insurance, Baldwin describes a five-step RiskMap process: insurance analysis, risk identification, insurance strategy, data-informed decisions, and continual assessment and optimization as risks evolve. ³Company-reported. The process described for Baldwin's business-insurance advisory service; a company-described service approach, not an independently measured outcome or guaranteed savings.

Baldwin's contact page provides an existing-policy assistance route that asks for the policy type and the customer's US state, and links to a client portal. The page also directs business-insurance prospects to speak with an advisor. ⁷Company-reported. Public contact and service entry points on Baldwin's US-facing site; portal capabilities and service timing were not established by the page.

Simply Business lists licensed-agent phone support Monday through Friday: sales 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Eastern Time and service 9 a.m.–6 p.m. These listed hours do not establish a response-time guarantee. ²⁸Company-reported. Hours displayed on the current U.S. contact page; no actual wait-time observation is implied.

The company describes account access for policy documents, certificates, account updates and adding coverage; help material routes some changes to an agent or insurer. Not every policy change is described as self-service. ^28,29,27Company-reported. Company-described post-purchase service paths; available tasks may depend on policy and insurer.

The Help Center FAQ says most customers opt into automatic renewal and gives 60-day notice and 30-day processing timing only for those who opt in. The same Help Center summary and June 30, 2026 Terms use broader automatic-renewal wording without the FAQ’s opt-in qualification. The public descriptions conflict; they do not establish which wording applies to every policy. ^29,27Conflicting sources. Company-published descriptions reviewed 2026-09-29. FAQ detail, Help Center summary and Terms are inconsistent; no buyer-specific policy notice was reviewed.

Baldwin says its claims-advocacy team works with clients, their claim service providers, and other partners before, during, and after a loss to help manage claims and consider resolution strategies. This describes an advocacy service, not who decides coverage or pays a particular claim. ⁸Company-reported. Company-described commercial claims-advocacy service; it does not establish that Baldwin is the insurer or claim decision-maker for a policy, or guarantee a claim outcome.

The Terms say third-party insurers underwrite site policies and each provider handles claims on its own policies; the Help Center directs policyholders to identify and contact the insurer. This establishes a published route, not agency assistance after notice or claim outcomes. ^27,29Company-reported. General site-policy claim responsibility. Harborway/Spinnaker applies only to the named Harborway placement relationship.

Baldwin’s 2025 Form 10-K says its Insurance Advisory Solutions group provides commercial risk-management and employee-benefits solutions for businesses and private-risk management for high-net-worth individuals and their families. Separately, it describes the consolidated group’s clients as individuals, professionals, businesses including niche industries, and specialty insurers. ¹Company-reported. Customer categories reported for the consolidated group and its Insurance Advisory Solutions operation; not a statement that every Baldwin unit serves each segment or that all businesses qualify for a particular product.

Baldwin says its commercial site has dedicated Centers of Excellence and Practice Groups focused on specific needs and lists industries including aviation and aerospace, construction, energy, financial institutions, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, retail and wholesale, technology, and transportation. These company-described examples are non-exhaustive and do not establish product availability or eligibility. ⁴Company-reported. Industries publicly listed on Baldwin's commercial-insurance industry page; examples are non-exhaustive and do not establish eligibility for a particular policy.

Simply Business says it serves small businesses and solopreneurs and lists examples such as contractors, cleaning businesses, LLCs and sole proprietors. These examples describe its stated audience, not guaranteed insurer eligibility or availability. ^26,31,27Company-reported. Company-described U.S. audience; eligibility varies by insurer, state and business details.

In a disclosure effective January 1, 2026, The Baldwin Group says compensation may include insurer-paid commissions, negotiated client fees, and contingent commissions tied to goals measured across a book of business. It also describes separate compensation for certain insurer-partner administration, claims, wholesaling, and managing-general-agent services, among other arrangements. The disclosure is group-wide and does not say which arrangements apply to a particular policy. ²Company-reported. The Baldwin Group's group-level compensation disclosure effective January 1, 2026; not the fee or commission terms for a specific commercial account, affiliate, insurer, or placement.

The Terms say Simply Business receives commission or other compensation from or through panel members and that customers may also incur separate processing, administrative, service, installment or cancellation fees. They give no amount or placement-specific applicability; the Terms say charges are disclosed before purchase. ²⁷Company-reported. General disclosure dated 2026-06-30; no specific commission, fee schedule, premium or customer charge was reviewed.