Most small-business owners know they need insurance. But with razor thin margins and limited knowledge of, and trust in, the insurance industry, may inadvertently put their businesses at risk. Independent insurance agents are key to better educating small-business owners on the role of insurance in their businesses and positioning it as a worthy investment.

Clients only understand the hard market through the lens of higher insurance costs. For small-business owners, a hard market means insurance is more expensive, impacting their bottom lines and overall livelihoods.

In larger organizations, insurance is simply a reality; one more line item on their expense sheet. These larger organizations typically have the resources to effectively budget for rising insurance costs and have a well-rounded understanding of their risks. By contrast, every expenditure impacts small-business owners, some of whom may only have a surface-level grasp of their risks and may lack an understanding of all the coverages they need. Absent informed guidance and counsel from an experienced insurance agent, small-business owners with thin margins are more likely to be underinsured for the unique risks their businesses face.

Read the full article, written by Steve Tombarelli, Senior Vice President, Programs & Services at SIAA, published October 25, 2024 in The Standard. Reprinted with permission from The Standard, Copyright 2024, Standard Publishing Corporation, Boston, MA. All rights reserved.