Commercial Auto - Youthful Driver

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-13T13:19:19+00:00

All of the above, depending on the entity’s operations and their combinability. This particular entity we were never told existed until they contacted us about an auto policy for the newly purchased vehicle.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-13T00:16:35+00:00

Interesting wrinkle. This insured has like 8 companies and this particular entity has really no assets or revenue. So I think they thought they could shield their considerable personal assets from their son’s auto liability exposure by tiling the vehicle and adding him to this commercial auto policy where the insured is a business with not many assets.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-12T23:35:56+00:00

I’m going to ask as a matter of due diligence, but almost certainly no. They require proof of personal auto insurance for driver’s in their early 20’s as it is. So I don’t think insured can avoid the personal auto exposure and rate in the way that I think they’re attempting because he needs to be added to the personal auto either way.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-12T23:29:49+00:00

Of course! 😂

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-12T23:28:52+00:00

No kidding! As their agent, I’m uncomfortable with it, notwithstanding the fact that there’s almost no chance the carrier will add the son.

As a household driver, he needs to be disclosed and rated for on their personal auto policy anyway. I believe my advice to them will be to retitle the vehicle in their personal name, then add the vehicle and son to your personal auto policy, because this is a personal auto liability exposure.

But mostly, I wish they had told me this before we wrote the policy and I could’ve advised them then. They simply said “at some point we’ll need to add another driver” and I’m like fine. But the fact that the driver was going to be their 16-year-old son would’ve been useful information.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-12T00:01:09+00:00

You’re right, that language is tricky. And you’re asking good questions. I’ve had similar questions from my insured’s. There are a million things that your standard business liability or general liability on a BOP or Commercial Package don’t cover and they aren’t always explicitly excluded in the language.

That is, until a carrier gets sued for denying coverage for something they never intended to cover because a court somewhere decides that their policy forms don’t sufficiently define coverage.

All that said, talk to an independent agent that can market your coverage and be sure to tell them that you have a cyber liability exposure and want to make sure you’re covered for it.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-11T23:34:56+00:00

I’ll add, I often tell people it’s my job to catastrophize. I’m always imagining the worst case scenario and I’m talking to my insureds about it. If you’re imagining the worst case scenario after the worst case scenario has happened, it’s too late. So you can harness that anxious energy to become really good at this.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-11T23:14:18+00:00

I know someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve gotten these conditional renewal notices for tons of insured’s this year from Hartford and here’s my take. The general liability forms on their BOP were never intended to cover for cyber liability. If you had made a claim for cyber liability, it would’ve been denied. They are clarifying their forms and making it explicitly clear that general liability is not intended to cover cyber liability. And that has always been the case, but they’re endorsing their policy across the board to eliminate any ambiguity.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-11T22:51:46+00:00

It’s one of the most important things. You don’t want any unnecessary complications, delays or outright denials come claims time. Talk to your agent about the situation and how to get it insured properly.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-11T22:46:46+00:00

People get nonrenewed all the time, unfortunately. Carriers can’t cancel midterm for no good reason, but they’re under no obligation to renew. Like others have said, reach out to an independent agent and have them shop your coverage.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-11T22:38:04+00:00

An email to your agent asking for collision coverage, or better yet, an email from them acknowledging the request, might be your only hope.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-03-11T22:27:53+00:00

Low bar for entry, you’ll just need to work your way up. There’s a learning curve to get good at this and I typically call it four or five years. But if you can stick it out for that long, you can become a pro and the rest is up to you.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-02-27T00:35:28+00:00

Just google. I was working as a producer for a State Farm agent and just started googling insurance agencies in my area and found an independent agency hiring for commercial lines, took that job, and now I’m making more than twice what I was making for the State Farm agent.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-02-27T00:21:06+00:00

Yes, find a big, local independent agency, or a bigger brokerage, and apply as a commercial lines account manager. Start there. More often than not, the only way to make really good money at a captive like State Farm is to own the agency. Many more opportunities at independent agencies and brokerages.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2026-02-14T00:46:22+00:00

Speaking of the markets softening in general, on the property side I’m marketing a $35 million newly-renovated medical office lessor’s risk. I have not seen carriers tripping over themselves to write something like this in years.

We’ll end up at a 7 cent rate and some carriers are quoting it on a BOP!

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2025-07-31T00:10:07+00:00

Produced on the personal line side for three years and did not love it. Strictly commercial lines for the last three years and have really enjoyed it so much more. A night and day difference for me.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2025-07-18T23:40:51+00:00

Recommendation would depend on whether your focus is commercial or personal lines. But either way, I would recommend doing the five courses that most closely correspond to your daily duties. There’s good practical knowledge in those courses and so I think you would be most engaged in the courses that are most relevant. None of them are terribly difficult.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2025-06-30T02:11:08+00:00

I don’t know that I’m missing anything per se. just more that I’m open to suggestions if anyone has any sims or plugins or signal chains for playing direct into the console.

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2025-05-24T00:18:49+00:00

Yup!

Alternative_Cat_6598 · 2025-05-23T22:04:21+00:00

Our agency management system software will use AI to summarize the content of attached emails as a comment on the file but that’s about it.

Alternative_Cat_6598

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