AssureStart, the online small business insurance provider, is now open for business in California. AssureStart sells business property and general liability insurance on the Internet to small businesses with fewer than 30 employees – an underserved and often overlooked segment of the commercial insurance market.
By answering a few questions at AssureStart.com, qualified small businesses in California can get coverage recommendations and a rate quote, and purchase a business owner’s policy in as little as five minutes, with immediate access to a certificate of insurance.
Buying a business owner’s policy (which combines business property and general liability coverage) through traditional commercial insurance channels can take several days or more.
With AssureStart’s 100% cloud-based technology platform and efficient direct sales process, the company is able to pass along premium savings of up to 40 percent to small business owners.
"With our exclusive focus on small enterprises, our mission is to help small business owners meet their unique insurance needs through an intuitive, next-generation technology platform," said AssureStart Chief Marketing Officer Chad Zenner.
"Small businesses increasingly are handling their administrative tasks on the Internet. We’re offering a new way for them to buy business insurance and manage the entire process online," said Zenner. "With certificates of insurance available at the point of sale, a small business owner can buy a policy and present the necessary credentials to start work on a client project the same day."
AssureStart’s proprietary technology platform and recommendation engine can be accessed 24/7 via laptop, tablet or smartphone. During the application and purchase process, prospective customers can contact a licensed insurance professional by phone, email or web chat to ask questions and receive more information.
In September 2014, the company received two industry honors – the SMA Innovation in Action Award, and the Technology Innovation Award, presented by the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association (IASA) and Ward Group. The awards recognize AssureStart’s technology platform as a strategic business driver and industry game-changer.
The company formed in February 2013 and launched service in its first state in November 2013. AssureStart currently sells business owner’s policies in 32 states.
It plans to cover nearly 40 states by the end of 2014, with a national footprint complete in early 2015. Over time, AssureStart intends to introduce commercial auto and workers’ compensation insurance on its sales, service and administrative platform.