If so, you’re not alone. In fact, you are part of a sizable majority of agents. Most never write any small commercial business (less than $30,000 in premium), even when it’s practically handed to them by a current client!

For most producers, that can be a big mistake. If you are in that group, chances are no one has shown you how simple it can be to expand your business and your income by adding small commercial lines to your offerings.

Small Commercial Insurance the Easy Way

This article describes five ways to help yourself and your clients, without having to stop doing the things that make you successful in other lines. Let’s start with the most important one first because this one idea will substantially improve your results in the other areas.

1. Use Technology – Web-based comparative raters have changed the small commercial insurance industry dramatically by automating the formerly time-consuming process of obtaining quotes. With this powerful tool agents now can enter client data once and get back quotes from multiple carriers in a matter of minutes.

Comparative raters put the power and credibility of the biggest carriers on your side immediately, even if you’ve never written a small commercial case. In addition to quotes, you get top-quality sales presentation materials to print out, including coverage and premium comparisons.

Agents without commercial carrier direct appointments can use wholesale comparative raters and receive commissions through the wholesaler, while agents with direct appointments can use retailer raters and be paid directly by the carriers. Either way, the process is fast and easy.

2. Ask for the Business – There is no reason not to ask existing clients and prospects for small commercial business, once you have the power and expertise at hand. Think not only of your personal lines clients who own businesses, but the people they know, too.

Ask your clients where they work to see if it is the kind of business you might like to have as a client. If your client works for a small business, ask her for the name of the business owner, or better still, ask for an introduction. Remember, the road runs in both directions: just as existing clients can lead you to profitable small commercial business, new small commercial clients have personal needs you can serve, too.

3. Associations and Vertical Markets – Many agents find real gold in getting to know the needs of vertical markets, developing solutions and promoting them to all businesses in that niche. For example, if you were to decide to become the industry expert in bowling establishments, you would develop packages that include liquor coverage, as well as traditional small commercial coverage.

You become the “go to” insurance professional for bowling establishments. Then, join bowling associations and attend every meeting. Develop trust by getting to know people in the associations and have a blast doing it!

When you begin to master a vertical market you will find which carriers are most likely to have the best coverage. Know your markets! Carriers that are strong in one type of coverage for years often are replaced overnight by other carriers. The comparative rater will help you make certain you keep getting the most competitive quotes.

4. Business-to-Business – As an insurance agent you are an expert at serving the needs of individuals. That qualifies you for the small commercial insurance market because, regardless of the market, people make the buying decisions, not companies. Focus on serving the decision makers in an organization.

You may find it much more profitable to use any unscheduled time calling on small businesses instead of cold calls to ex-date auto and homeowner policies. Take a stack of business cards, get out of the office and stir things up.

Chances are very good you will find several business owners who are not satisfied with their current coverage or agent. You will establish yourself as a complete professional when you tell them you will search the top commercial carriers for the best coverage and rates and get back to them later that day or the next.

5. Social media – Make your website the hub of your marketing activities. If you do not have a website specifically for your business, it’s a good idea to get one. Regardless, you should use social media sites to promote your business.

A weblog should be the cornerstone of your social media strategy. It allows you to express yourself in a personal, yet professional way, and you can get valuable feedback from comments readers make to your blog posts. Do posts that include success stories and case studies. A Facebook fan page for your business can be a valuable adjunct, as can a Twitter account.

Think of social media as an online social mixer, where you meet people and get to understand their needs. Use social media (and your website) to inform, not sell. Provide great information about things of interest to your clients, including links to articles or blog posts by top professionals. This works especially well on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn discussion groups. 

Give Yourself a Pay Raise

The average Small Business Owner Policy premium is between $2,500 and $5,000. Sell two policies per week at a 10-to-15% commission rate and watch your bank account grow exponentially each month.    

Kick back and watch each succeeding year as your renewal retention rewards you every month.  Eventually this could become your core business. Remember, with a comparative rater doing the calculations and presentations, you can invest your time getting in front of more clients and prospects.

Start today. Get online and start finding out about small commercial business and comparative raters. Call or make an online request for a demonstration.

Mark Van Horn is president of Quantum Integrated Systems, Inc. and RealTimeExpress.com a small commercial comparative rater for independent insurance agents nationwide. He has more than 20 years of commercial insurance experience and can be reached at 214-295-1586 or by email at mvanhorn@quantumsys.net.

Answer:  Yes, but only if you are taking advantage of current technology.

Yes, it is possible to make money writing small commercial business.  Most MGA’s, GA’s, & Wholesalers shy away writing small commercial business because it cost them too much time to process and the margin for profit is so small it doesn’t make sense.  Most are asking for & selling Middle Market type business. 

Here’s the Good News!  MGA’s can how offer small commercial business and make a profit.  How?  By not quoting the business.  You only touch the business once!  You heard me right.  NO MORE QUOTING!  Instead, lead the independent agent to your website for quoting.  You can take advantage of current technology that allows you to push the quote entry out to the independent agent.  In return, the agents gets real-time quotes with a single entry for multiple carriers.  It’s a WIN WIN!

For more information, please contact me at mvanhorn@quantumsys.net or call me at 214-295-1586.

Here’s to processing Binders!

Mark Van Horn

What is a BOP?  Many business owners simply do not know.  A BOP is a Business Owners Policy.  It’s a package of insurance.  Coverages include Property Insurance, Business Interruption Insurance, & Liability Insurance.  Most carriers also offer package enhancement endorsements.

A BOP does not cover Workers Compensation, Professional Liability, Auto Insurance, or Health and Disability Insurance.  These risks must be covered by separate policies.

Consult your insurance professional today about BOP Insurance!

RealTimeExpress allows agents to access BOP Insurance quotes for multiple carriers with a single entry.  For more information, contact Mark Van Horn at mvanhorn@quantumsys.net or call 214-295-1586.

Tell your agent about RealTimeExpress.com small commercial comparative rater for Business Owners, Workers Compensation, & Commercial Auto.

RealTimeExpress browser stats

Popular browsers like Chrome (google) and Firefox are still lagging behind leading market share browser Internet Explorer.  Data was releaesed from statistics collected by RealTimeExpress.com. 

Popular versions of Internet Explorer include 7.0 (55% share), 8.0 (30% share), &  6.0 (15% share).

The recent release of Internet Explorer version 8.0 sent RealTimeExpress programmers to the drawing board to adjust the online software as a service comparative rating software for small commercial business.    According to programmer Ryan VerSteeg, “Everything is running smooth with all versions of Internet Explorer”.

Today, I would like to point out two important items you may not know when it comes to commercial comparative raters:

1. Efficiency – no longer do you need to go to each carriers website to enter data.  Enter it once in a comparative rater and the software populates the carriers website on your behalf.  Talk about “reserving the market”, now we’re talking.
2. Opportunity – if you have more than 2 or 3 carrier appointments you cannot afford to go to each carriers website for quoting.  It costs the agent too much money, especially doing high transaction, low premium business.  Using a comparative rater allows you to take advantage of every opportunity for each of your carrier appointments.  More opportunity = more business.

For more information regarding RealTimeExpress, contact Mark Van Horn at mvanhorn@quantumsys.net.

Back injuries are one of the most commonly occurring injuries both occupationally and also in the off-the-job activities.  What can we do about controlling this type of injury?

Back Injury Prevention

First of all prevention is the key, as it is the caser with all injuries.  Let’s look at some of the key element sin back injury prevention:

• Don’t try to be Superman.  If someone is assigned a task beyond his mention capabilities, he will usually tell his supervisor, “I do not know how to do that,” or make some similar statement.  Don’t perform beyond your capabilities.  Get help!
• Size up the load before lifting (or otherwise moving) it.  Some packages are much heavier than they appear.  So attempt to push the load slightly with your foot before “snatching and grabbing” the load.
• Be sure the path is safe.  Before carrying the load, look at the floor along the planned path of travel.  There should be no obstacles or spilled fluids in the way.  Many back injuries or other muscular strains occur because the person carrying the load slips or stumbles, causing a sudden sift in the load.
• Limber up before lifting.  All athletes know the importance of some basic calisthenics prior to beginning a physically-demanding contest.  The same applies to you.  Stretching exercises are critical prior to any manual lifting, especially in the early morning before the body is warm and flexible.

Workers compensation insurance coverage is critical for covering employee back injuries.  Talk to your agent about using RealTimeExpress.com for multiple carrier quoting.

Contact Mark Van Horn @ mvanhorn@quantumsys.net

Premium

• Carrier A:   $2,700
• Carrier B:   $4,368
• Carrier C:   $2,018
• Carrier D:   $5,304
• Carrier E:   $4,353
• Carrier F:   $3,718

As you can see, using a comparative rater gives you, the agent, options to present to your insured.  By the way, this firm bindable quote was was done in less than 8 minutes using RealTimeExpress.

For more information regarding RealTimeExpress.com contact David Taylor at dtaylor@quantumsys.net.

The above was quoted using $2mln in receipts, $200,000 payroll, and 5,000 sq ft.

That makes Small Commercial a great market to be in – specially if you have the secret weapon, a commercial comparative rater, designed especially for agents with direct appointments.

Have you ever wanted to have just one place where you could:

• Input your data in one website
• Not have to re-key anything, or answer the same question twice for your direct appointments, and
• Receive multiple quotes from national carriers such as Travelers, The Hartford, CNA, Liberty/Safeco, and Zurich in real-time?

That’s exactly what comparative raters can do for you.  You will receive multiple quotes, as if you had entered each account into each carrier’s website, without the risk of keyboard errors.  And you get to keep your commissions and contingencies!

Are You Miss Out on These Benefits?

• Efficiency – save time by entering information only one time
• One system and one set of questions containing all carrier eligibility rules
• Allows additional time for service, prospecting and closing

To learn more about RealTimeExpress contact me, Mark Van Horn at mvanhorn@quantumsys.net