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Is your insurance agent doing their job?
We’re sure they are in the sense that they have provided you with a commercial insurance policy (at the very least, we hope they’ve done that).
But are they going the extra mile?
We’ll let you in on a secret. We’re not saying your current agent isn’t doing their job right, but so many MA agencies (like us at Berry Insurance) are doing more. (And you deserve more!)
Working with an insurance agency doesn’t cost you anything. It’s not like upgrading to a better insurance agency will put a dent in your budget. So if you have a choice of free agents, why wouldn’t you want to work with one who offers a wide range of services outside insurance?
In this article, we’ll outline some of the things you should expect from a Massachusetts business insurance agency. (But even if your business isn’t located in MA, this should still apply to you.) At the end, you’ll know what types of service you deserve and be ready to start hunting for the best agency for you.
They should be providing excellent customer service:
The point of an insurance agent is to make things easier for you. Agents serve as the liaison between you and your insurance carrier. They collect information they need from you, then work with the company to sort out the nitty gritty of the application, renewal, and claims processes. This simplifies your tasks and saves you money, which is probably very important to you as a business owner.
So if your agent is doing anything to delay your insurance processes or make them unpleasant in any way, you are not getting what you deserve.
Your insurance agent should be easy to reach or get back to you quickly. They should offer several ways to contact them and always communicate with you in a positive and effective way. They should be attentive to your policy and handle it without frequent mistakes (although mistakes may happen once in a while, even with a great agent).
No matter the situation, if you feel like you aren’t being properly supported or treated by your insurance company, it might make sense to start shopping for a new agent.
They should be customizing your policy
Independent insurance agencies have a duty to ensure you have the right policy at the right price. They work with a selection of insurance carriers so they can shop your insurance for you to find the right match.
In order to do this, they must be customizing your policy to your business’ specifications and needs.
There is no business exactly like any other business. That means no business insurance policy should be the same as another. But many agents may write the same cookie-cutter policy for several businesses, which is definitely not in your best interest.
If your agent doesn’t ask a lot of detailed questions or if you can get a quote online, it’s a red flag that they aren’t really customizing your business insurance policy to your company.
Instead, they should ask questions, get to know your business personally, then use judgement and reason to get the right coverages and limits to cover exactly what you need covered. Nothing more and nothing less.
They should be educating you:
Insurance can be confusing, but you want to know that your business is adequately protected. In other words, you should feel confident in your business insurance.
That’s why we strongly believe every agency should be integrating education into every interaction with their clients.
Through setting up new policies, performing annual reviews, performing risk management, and navigating the claims process, your insurance agent should keep you updated on everything you need to know.
They should be actually listening to your questions and giving thorough answers so you fully understand your insurance.
Ideally, they should also be offering educational materials.
For example, at our agency, we constantly publish educational articles and videos to our Learning Center and our YouTube channel, as well as helpful worksheets and tools.
They should be providing business resources:
Your relationship with your insurance agent is just that: a relationship. And like in any other relationship, you want your insurance agent to actually care about you and the wellbeing of your business.
That means they should be willing to support your business aside from just providing insurance.
Insurance may be your agency’s expertise, but they are a business themselves, so they should have some business tips or resources they are willing to share with you.
For example, at Berry Insurance, we have access to an online HR platform that can help your business satisfy regulations and build templates for documents and forms you need in your business. We also have an online risk services tool, which can provide you with safety tips, business assessments, and industry tips to keep your employees safe and productive.
Note: Be on the lookout for an upcoming Business Resource Center, where we will compile all the resources we have in one place for all our commercial clients to access.
They should be offering annual reviews:
You don’t want to be just another sale to your insurance agent. So your insurance agent shouldn’t treat your insurance as a “set it and forget it” product.
Your agent should be attentive to your commercial policy, reviewing it each year to make sure you have the right coverages at the right price.
If your agent isn’t reviewing your policy each year to make sure everything is up to date, you don’t have any gaps in coverage, and you’re paying the right price, they aren’t doing everything they should be for you.
Give your business the insurance it deserves
If you’re anything like us, your business is very important to you. You want to make sure you have a comprehensive insurance policy that would cover your business if anything were to ever happen.
But whether you ever need to use your insurance or not, you still have to pay for it. So why not make sure you’re getting the best value by working with an insurance agent who has even more to offer you?
Are you convinced yet? Maybe it’s time to start shopping for a business insurance agent who will give you everything you deserve.
If you’re located in Massachusetts like we are, there are plenty of great agents you can work with. Check out this article listing our top 10 favorite MA insurance agencies (besides our own).
Not from Massachusetts? That’s OK -- we have something for you too. Check out this article: What to Look For when Selecting an Insurance Agency or Company.
