Insurers that sell products to the public using either their own captive agents or the direct selling system via the Internet, mail or telephone.
Since large insurance companies are becoming more diversified in their sales efforts, becoming a direct writer is advantageous for them, as it cuts out the middleman and leaves more money for new customer acquisition and retention.
In reinsurance, a direct writer is an insurer that deals directly with the companies they reinsure, without using the services of a broker.