View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2014/09/08/339918.htm
AssureStart, the online small business insurance provider, is now open for business in Nevada, New York, Ohio and South Carolina. AssureStart sells business property and general liability insurance on the Internet exclusively to small businesses with fewer than 30 employees.
By answering questions at AssureStart.com, qualified small businesses in these states can get coverage recommendations and a rate quote, purchase a business owner’s policy and download the policy and a certificate of insurance in less than 10 minutes.
AssureStart’s all-new technology and direct sales process allows the company to pass along savings in the form of lower rates.
“A growing number of small businesses handle their administrative tasks on the Internet. We’re offering a new way for them to buy business insurance and manage the entire process on their own,” said AssureStart CEO Greg Tacchetti. “With certificates of insurance available at the point of sale, a small business owner can buy a policy online 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.
AssureStart is backed by American Family Mutual Insurance Co. Policies are underwritten by Midvale Indemnity Co., an affiliate of American Family.
The Seattle-based company formed in February 2013 and launched service in its first state in November 2013. AssureStart currently sells business owner’s policies in 19 states. It plans to cover 70 percent of U.S. small businesses by the end of 2014, with a national footprint complete by mid-2015. Over time, AssureStart intends to introduce commercial auto and workers’ compensation insurance on its state-of-the-art sales and administrative platform.
The company sells business owner’s policies (general liability and business property insurance coverage) direct to small businesses on its website. AssureStart serves as the managing general agent for policies underwritten by Midvale Indemnity Co., an affiliate of Madison, Wis.-based American Family Insurance.