Integrity Welcomes Universe Financial to Their Fast-Growing Partner Network

DALLAS, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrity Marketing Group, LLC ("Integrity"), the nation's largest independent distributor of life and health insurance products, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Universe Financial Insurance Services ("Universe Financial"), an independent marketing organization (IMO) based in Chicago, Illinois. As part of the acquisition, Ivan Vedrov, President of Universe Financial, will become a Managing Partner in Integrity. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"Being able to serve more Americans is at the core of our partnership with Universe Financial," said Bryan W. Adams, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrity. "Ivan is an incredibly hard worker who has built an impressive business in a short period of time thanks to his exceptional ability to recruit and train agents, while always taking care of the client. By joining Integrity, he can continue to focus on his considerable strengths while tapping into the wide range of Integrity resources that will help him grow his agency even faster than he could on his own."

Since 2018, Universe Financial has been helping Americans protect their families through life insurance products and annuities in the greater Chicago area. In 2021, Universe Financial expects to produce more than $25 million of annualized paid premium in the mortgage protection, final expense and annuity markets while serving more than 25,000 Americans annually.

"When I was 21, I moved to the U.S. from Russia, with nothing but $1,000 in my pocket, a hard-working attitude and the dream of a better future," shared Ivan Vedrov, President of Universe Financial. "When I discovered the insurance industry, I knew I'd found a way to secure my future."

"From these humble beginnings, I have built an agency I am proud of — but to achieve the next level of growth, I knew I needed to join forces with a strong partner like Integrity," continued Vedrov. "Integrity has done an incredible job innovating the insurance space. Our partnership with Integrity will allow us to grow our business exponentially while offering our agents Integrity's best-in-class technology, top lead generation tools and access to many of the most transformative products and resources in the industry."

"Ivan is a true American success story that proves with hard work and dedication you can accomplish anything you set your mind to," added Adams. "Ivan's passion for helping new agents entering into this business is inspiring and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."

While advancing its strong development strategy, Universe Financial will now employ the complete range of Integrity's platform for support including sales, marketing, IT, human resources, legal services, compliance and other shared services. In addition, all Integrity partners become eligible to participate in the Integrity Employee Ownership Plan, which provides ownership to its nearly 5,500 employees nationwide.

Universe Financial will join Integrity's increasingly diverse group of partners — industry leaders who collaborate to share wide-ranging best practices and expertise. These partners include CSG Actuarial, ThomasARTS, Deft Research, Access Capital, Brokers International and Insurance Administrative Solutions' third-party administrator, as well as leading call centers Connexion Point, SeniorCare Benefits and Unified Health.

"I couldn't be happier that Ivan and his team are joining Integrity," said Shawn Meaike, Managing Partner at Integrity and President of Family First Life. "With the vast offerings of the Integrity platform and Ivan's incredible work ethic and commitment to grow his business, there is no limit to the success Universe Financial Insurance Services will see in the future."

For more information about Universe Financial's partnership with Integrity, view a video at www.integritymarketing.com/UniverseFinancial.

About Integrity Marketing Group 
Integrity Marketing Group, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is the leading independent distributor of life and health insurance products focused on meeting Americans wherever they are — in person, over the phone and online. Integrity is innovating insurance by developing cutting-edge technology designed to simplify and streamline the healthcare experience for everyone. In addition, Integrity develops exclusive products with insurance carrier partners and markets these products through its distribution network that includes other large insurance agencies throughout the country. Integrity's almost 5,500 employees work with over 375,000 independent agents who service more than eight million clients annually. In 2021, Integrity expects to help insurance carriers place over $7 billion in new sales. For more information, visit www.integritymarketing.com.

About Universe Financial Insurance Services
Universe Financial Insurance Services, also known as Family First Life Universe, is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and is a leading insurance agency committed to protecting families across the nation. They ensure their agents are equipped for success by providing them with top tier sales training, compensation, and products to protect families. They specialize in final expense life insurance, mortgage protection, and fixed indexed annuities. For more information, visit www.ffluniverse.com.

SOURCE Integrity Marketing Group, LLC