Rate Chasers
"I found a policy online that is $50 cheaper a month, so I'm leaving."
1. Empathize (I want you to save money too) / 2. Pivot (Cheaper usually means less coverage) / 3. Action: "Send me their quote/Dec Page so I can compare it apples-to-apples." and/or offer to look into rates from our other carriers.
"I just got married, so I'm canceling my car to jump on my husband's policy."
1. Congratulate them! / 2. Pivot (You might be missing out on a huge discount) / 3. Action: "Before you cancel, let me quote BOTH of your cars together with a marriage discount to see if we can beat his rate."
"I don't need renter's insurance, my landlord has insurance on the building."
1. Pivot: "The landlord's policy protects their building, not your belongings or your liability." / 2. Action: Point out that the auto-bundle discount often pays for the renter's policy itself.
If you get a task with this specific label, you cannot just make one call, leave an email, and close it out.
What is "Underwriting Required"? (You own it until resolved!)
When a customer wants to cancel because they found a cheaper rate, this is the document you MUST ask for to compare apples to apples.
What is the Declarations (Dec) Page?
"Groceries are too expensive right now, just drop my coverages to the state minimum."
1. Empathize / 2. Pivot (Explain the financial risk of state minimums in an accident) / 3. Action: Offer to review discounts, deductibles, or remarket before stripping coverage.
"I'm selling my house on Tuesday and moving into an apartment, so just cancel everything."
1. Empathize / 2. Pivot (You still need liability and to protect your stuff) / 3. Action: Pitch a Renter's policy to keep their multi-line auto discount active. (This is a Rewrite!)
"I don't need life insurance, I get a policy through my job for free."
1. Validate / 2. Pivot: "Work policies don't follow you if you change jobs or retire." Possibly limited if you die outside of work hours. / 3. Action: Offer to quote an affordable policy they actually own and control.
"I’ve done this process 100 times, I have it memorized, so I don't need to use this." (False).
What is a Checklist?
Of the 212 cancellations we had in September, this is the percentage that we actually had the opportunity to save.
What is 38.6%?
"I saw a commercial for an app that tracks my driving and gives me 40% off. Why aren't you guys offering me that?"
1. Validate / 2. Pivot (Explain that while telematics exist, strict braking/acceleration tracking can sometimes actually hurt rates) / 3. Action: "Let's check if we have a telematics option for you, or look for guaranteed discounts that don't track your every move.
"I just got a company car for work, so I'm selling my personal car and canceling my insurance."
1. Congratulate them on the job / 2. Pivot (Company policies often don't cover personal use, and dropping personal coverage creates a lapse in history, making future policies crazy expensive) / 3. Action: Offer a "Named Non-Owner" policy or keep minimum liability to maintain continuous coverage.
"I have an older car, it's only worth a few thousand dollars. I don't need full coverage anymore."
1. Validate / 2. Pivot ("If you total it tomorrow, do you have $4,000 in cash to buy a replacement right away?") / 3. Action: Run the quote dropping Collision but keeping Comprehensive (for deer/glass/theft) to show them a middle-ground option.
If a customer drops their homeowner's policy on Tuesday to pick up a renter's policy with us on Friday, we do NOT count it as an "Additional Line of Business." It is classified as this.
What is a Rewrite?
Out of our 212 cancellations in September, 60 of them resulted in no real loss to the agency because our team successfully did this.
What is Rewrote them?
"I'm a great driver, so just take off my Uninsured Motorist coverage to lower my bill."
1. Empathize / 2. Pivot (Explain that this coverage actually protects them and their family from drivers who break the law or hit-and-runs) / 3. Action: Offer to raise their collision deductible instead of dropping crucial bodily injury protection.
"My teenager just got his license. Your quote was way too high to add him, so we are moving the whole family to Progressive."
1. Empathize (Teen drivers are expensive everywhere) / 2. Pivot (We need to check for Good Student discounts, defensive driving courses, and car assignment) / 3. Action: "Let me review the quote to make sure every possible teen discount is applied, and assure we have him rated on the oldest/cheapest car and/or see if BOR is possible"
"I run a small bakery business out of my kitchen. My home insurance covers my house, so I'm fine."
1. Validate / 2. Pivot (Standard home policies specifically EXCLUDE business liability and business inventory) / 3. Action: "Let me quote a small in-home business policy so you aren't financially ruined if someone gets sick from your food."
When a customer calls in furious about a billing increase, this is the absolute most important first step you must take before trying to solve the math or quote a new carrier.
What is Empathize / Let them vent? (Acknowledge their frustration first, otherwise they won't listen to the solution!)
When logging a cancellation, noting "went to Erie - couldn't save" is no longer acceptable. Management now expects you to document the full _____, explaining exactly where, why, and how you tried to save it.
What is the Story? (I don't know what I don't know—I need the full picture!)
"I just got a quote from another company online and it is literally exactly half the price of what you are charging me!"
1. Empathize / 2. Pivot (Online quotes often use 6-month terms instead of annual terms to make the price look smaller) / 3. Action: "Send me that quote right now so I can make sure they aren't tricking you with a 6-month policy or missing coverages."
"My son is going away to college out-of-state and leaving his car here, so just remove him from the policy completely."
1. Validate / 2. Pivot (If he comes home for Thanksgiving/Christmas and drives, he needs coverage; plus, dropping him creates a lapse in his insurance history making it expensive later) / 3. Action: Apply the "Student Away at School" discount to keep him covered for pennies.
"I just bought a $10,000 engagement ring, but my homeowner's policy covers all my personal property, so I don't need to add anything."
1. Congratulate them! / 2. Pivot (Standard home policies usually cap jewelry theft at $1,000 to $1,500) / 3. Action: "Let me quote a Personal Articles policy so it's fully covered for the full $10,000, even if it gets lost outside the house."
This is the primary reason why we require detailed, crystal-clear notes on every single account, avoiding weird abbreviations or internal jargon.
What is "So anyone in the agency can pick up the phone and know exactly what is going on"? (Also accepts: E&O / Errors & Omissions protection).
True or False: If you try to save a customer but they ultimately leave, it is acceptable to just type "went to Erie - couldn't save" as long as you tried your best on the phone
What is FALSE? (You still need the Where, Why, How you tried, Dec Page attempt, and new price—tell the full story!)