Start a business insurance renewal review with what changed. Your policies should be reviewed against the work you do today and the work you expect to do during the next policy term.
Bring the current policies or renewal notices, then use this checklist to organize the changes behind them.
Match each change with useful records
| What changed? | Records and questions to gather |
|---|---|
| Services, jobs or locations | Describe new work, job sites, ownership changes, leases and locations. Include when each change began or is expected to begin. |
| Employees or subcontractors | List duties, hiring plans, payroll by work type and subcontractor use. The workers comp renewal guide separates estimates from audit records. |
| Vehicles or drivers | Update the vehicle and driver lists, garaging, travel area and use of rented or employee-owned vehicles. Use the commercial auto preparation checklist. |
| Property or equipment | Note purchases, sales, building changes, improvements and current values. Identify leased property and lender requirements. |
| Contracts or certificates | Gather new customer, landlord and vendor requirements. Flag changes in limits or requested endorsements using the contract and certificate guide. |
| Claims or safety practices | List claims, open questions, near misses and changes to training, maintenance or return-to-work practices. |
Separate what happened from what you expect
Label payroll and revenue figures with the period they cover. Actual figures from the current year and estimates for the next policy term answer different questions. Explain the reason for an expected increase or decrease, such as another crew, a seasonal contract or a location closing.
Keep the source of each estimate with your notes. That makes it easier to update the figures if hiring, sales or a planned job changes.
Look beyond the premium
Compare the proposed limits, deductibles, listed property, covered operations and endorsements with your current documents. Mark any difference you want explained, alongside the price and payment terms.
If a change needs attention now, send a policy change request instead of waiting for renewal. Include the requested effective date and obtain confirmation of what has been changed.