Once I had my sea legs as a young producer, I began to understand the importance of setting right sized expectations. This approach is not for the faint of heart and will occasionally blow up in your face. However, I used it successfully to sell value and a higher price.
I was a commercial producer and worked hard to avoid personal lines. But my prized large commercial accounts would occasionally insist we write their personal lines. I told these customers I would write their lines on the condition that I would only quote Chubb and that they were going to be more expensive. And…we were going to schedule all their valuables at an additional premium.
Why? It’s because I did not want to lose a $500K commercial account over a claim where the customer felt ripped off by the insurance company. If they felt ripped off, it was my fault.
Don’t be afraid to make it clear up front that you will likely not be the lowest quote and instead build a well-reasoned case that you will provide the best value and assurance.