The first step in purchasing business insurance is comparing quotes. While each insurance company will have its own unique requirements, there’s generally some basic information that most insurers will need to provide an accurate quote. It’s also important to note the insurer will also request more information depending on the coverage you request and the type of business you operate. We have created a checklist of the information we generally will ask for when getting business insurance quotes.
Business Information
You will need to provide general information about your organization, such as name, address, phone number, etc. It is also important to let the insurer know what type of business you operate and how many years you’ve been in operation. Generally, the insurer will need the following:
Business name
Address
Owner info
Type of business
Business size
Industry
Employee Information
For most insurers to properly assess risk, they will need to know about your employees. How many employees do you have? What positions do they hold? Are there any seasonal workers? Gathering this data beforehand can save time when it comes time to get a business insurance quote. To accurately assess your business’s risk profile when offering coverage options, insurers typically need this information:
Number of employees
Annual Payroll
Job descriptions
Legal Information
When requesting a business insurance quote, be prepared to provide your legal name, address, and contact information. You'll also need to supply your employer identification number (EIN) and any applicable business license numbers. If applicable, be sure to include the number of years you've been in business as well as any other relevant information about the industry in which your company operates. Insurance companies may request the following legal information:
Specialized certifications or licenses
Business Structure
EIN
Insurance History and Claims History
Insurers will want to know if you've ever had any claims on previous policies or if any claims are currently pending against your current policy. It's important that you provide accurate and complete information about any prior insurance history or claims history related to your business so that insurers can best assess your risk profile. Insurers will need the following:
Information about any accidents or claims in the past five years
Amount paid for each claim
Business Description
Your insurer will want to get a general overview of what type of business you operate and what services or products it offers. This includes providing details such as the number of employees, locations (if more than one), gross annual sales figures, payroll totals, estimated production costs, and more. If there are any special circumstances related to your business operations, such as seasonal fluctuations or potential risks associated with hazardous materials, be sure to include those details as well. Be prepared to provide information such as:
Information about business operations
Gross annual sales
Products/services offered
Hazardous activities
Location Information
Insurance companies will need information about where exactly your business is located, including building type (e.g., office building/warehouse/retail store), occupancy (e.g., owner-occupied/leased space), square footage, construction type (wood frame/steel frame) and age of the building(s). Also, include whether or not the area is prone to flooding or other natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes so that insurers can take them into account when determining coverage limits and premiums for your policy. Be prepared to provide detailed property information such as:
Construction type
Square footage
Age of building
Other occupants
Mortgage information
Lessor of space
Getting a business insurance quote doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require some preparation on your part in order for the process to go smoothly and accurately reflect the individual needs of your particular business. When starting a business insurance quote with us, we don’t need all this information upfront. One of our licensed advisors will help guide you through a seamless application process to help your business get the coverage it needs.
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