Commercial Insurance Cold Calling Script for Agents

A commercial insurance cold calling script works best when it has one goal: the renewal date. Ask for the owner or whoever handles the business's insurance, give a short reason for calling, ask when their policy renews, and book a short review with your licensed agent before that date. If the renewal is months away, write down the date and call back in time. Below you'll find the full script, answers to the brush-offs agents hear every day, and gatekeeper and voicemail lines.

Why the Renewal Date Is the Whole Game

Most businesses only look at a new broker in the months before a policy renews. Call too early and the answer is "not now". Call after the renewal and they're locked in for another year.

So every call has the same first goal: learn the renewal date, which agents call the X-date. A call that ends with an X-date and permission to call back is a good call, even if there's no meeting yet.

Who to Ask For

Ask whoever answers: "Who looks after the business insurance renewals?" Write the name down.

The Commercial Insurance Cold Call Script

Fill in the parts in brackets, and say it in your own words.

Opener: "Hi [name], this is [your name] with [agency]. I'll be quick: I know I'm calling out of the blue."

Reason for the call: "We work with a lot of [industry, such as contractors or restaurants] in [area] on their business insurance. I'm calling to see when your renewal comes up, so we can offer a second look before it does."

The one question: "When does your business insurance renew this year?"

Then, depending on the answer:

• Renewal in the next few months: "That's coming up. Would a 15-minute review with [agent's name] be useful before then, just to compare?"
• Renewal later in the year: "Thanks. Would it be all right if I called you around [a few months before the date] to set up a quick comparison?"
• They don't know: "No problem. Who would know? I'll check with them."

Follow-up questions, if they're talking:

• "Did your premium go up much at the last renewal?"
• "Have you had a claim recently? How did your current broker handle it?"
• "Has anything changed in the business, such as new vehicles, a new location or more staff?"

The ask: "[Agent's name] can do a 15-minute call on [day] at [time] or [day] at [time]. Which works better?"

Close-out: "Great. I'll send the invite to [email]. It helps if you have your current policy declarations handy for the call."

Answers to the 5 Brush-Offs You'll Hear Most

Agree, give one short reply, then ask a question. If they say no twice, thank them and move on.

1. "We're happy with our agent."

"Good to hear. A lot of our clients were happy too, and still found a quote before renewal useful, even just to confirm the price was fair. When does yours renew?"

2. "We just renewed."

"Then the timing's wrong this year, and I won't take your time. When's the renewal date, so I can call a couple of months before the next one?"

3. "Just send me a quote."

"Happy to. To quote properly, our agent needs a few details from your current policy, so the fastest way is a 15-minute call. Is [day] or [day] better?"

4. "It's all handled by our accountant or head office."

"That makes sense. Who's the best person there to talk to about the renewal?"

5. "I'm busy right now."

"No problem. Is tomorrow morning or afternoon better for two minutes?" Then call back exactly when you said you would.

Gatekeeper Lines

• "Hi, who looks after the business insurance renewals?"
• "Could you put me through to [name]?"
• If asked what it's about: "It's about the business insurance renewal. Is [name] the right person?"

Voicemail Script

"Hi [name], [your name] with [agency]. I'm calling [industry] businesses in [area] to offer a second look at their insurance before renewal. If that's useful, call me on [number]. That's [number] again. Thanks."

Building an X-Date List

The renewal dates you collect are worth more than any single call. Keep a simple list with:

• The business, the contact and their title
• The renewal date and the current broker, if they'll say
• What they mentioned: premium rises, claims, changes in the business
• The date to call back, a few months before renewal

Call back on time, mention what they told you last time, and ask for the review. Over a few months, more of each week's calls land at the right moment.

What the Caller Shouldn't Say

Advice on coverage, quotes and terms belongs with a licensed agent. If your caller isn't licensed, keep their script to the renewal date, who decides and a time for the review. When a prospect asks about coverage, the answer is: "That's exactly what [agent's name] will go through with you on the call."

Check the licensing rules where you sell, and the calling rules too. Business numbers face lighter rules than consumers in most countries, but some, such as sole traders in the UK, can be on a do-not-call register. See cold calling laws by country.

Need Someone to Make the Calls?

Collecting X-dates takes steady calling every day. Our appointment setting for commercial insurance agencies gives you a dedicated caller who learns renewal dates and books reviews with your licensed agents. Two ways to work with us:

• We Call for You (from $2,199/month per caller): we supply, train and manage the caller, write the script with you, and send call recordings and a weekly report.
• Hire a Caller (from $1,499/month per caller): a vetted, full-time caller works your list during your prospects' business hours and reports to you.

Both services have no setup fee, run month to month and start in about two weeks. See prices by caller country.