They generally sell policies through several distribution channels, such as independent brokers, tied agents, and direct contact with customers.

ECONOMIST: Financial mergers

The majority of tied agents and even IFAs work on a commission basis, whereby the product provider remunerates the adviser when you take out one of their products.

BBC: MONEY TALK

He admits that bancassurance works in countries such as Belgium, where insurance is not sold through agents tied to insurers.

ECONOMIST: Do mergers of banks and insurers make sense?

He recommends independent brokers and agents not tied to specific insurance companies and plans.

NPR: The Hunt For Affordable Health Insurance

The fees of commission-based agents and brokers are tied to specific products and transactions.

FORBES: Fee-Only Financial Planner: What's the Difference?

Too often local governments become tied to process over opportunity and limit their ability to innovate or become true agents of change.

WHITEHOUSE: Entrepreneurial Local Governments -- A Catalyst for Collaboration and Innovation | The White House