How to Become the Obvious Choice to your Commercial Insurance Clients (Even If You’re New)

If you're trying to grow in commercial insurance, I want to give you a piece of advice that never fails: buyers love mastery.

They don’t want to pick from a sea of options. They want the one obvious choice. The expert. The go-to. And if you're showing up sounding like every other generalist out there, you're going to lose. I know, because I did it the hard way.

But the good news is this: there is a proven path to becoming that obvious choice. It’s not a gimmick. It’s not a magic script. It’s mastery over a niche. And in this post, I’m going to show you exactly how to get there.

Why Generalists Struggle to Close Deals

Early in my career, I tried to be everything to everybody. I figured if I cast a wide net, I’d catch more opportunities.

What I actually caught was a miserable close ratio.

I remember counting one day: I was 1 for 40. One win out of 40 attempts. And every loss felt the same. I’d quote the policy. I’d present it with enthusiasm. And the prospect would pat me on the shoulder and say, “You did a great job, but we’re going to stay with our current agent.”

Translation? I didn’t bring anything different to the table. I sounded just like everybody else.

That didn’t change until I chose a niche—and committed to mastering it.

My Breakthrough: Choosing a Niche That Needed Me

The first big shift happened when I got a chance to quote a children’s home. I’ll be honest: I did everything wrong and still got lucky. Sometimes we all need that early win.

But when I landed that account, something clicked. I thought, “I can do this again.”

So I wrote another children’s home. Then another. And eventually, that niche grew into social services more broadly: group homes, community-based providers, in-home support agencies, and programs for the intellectually and developmentally disabled (IDD).

That’s when I realized that mastery is made up of three core components:

1. Know the business

2. Know the coverages

3. Know the marketplace

   
   

If you can do those three things, you can become the obvious choice in your niche.

Let’s break them down.

Step 1: Know the Business (Think Like an Owner)

Everything starts with understanding the business you’re serving. If you can’t clearly articulate what they do, you won’t be able to build the right insurance solution—and nobody else can help you either.

One of the best ways to learn the business is to study their financials. Owners look at:

• Revenue – how they make money

• Expenses – how they spend money

• Profit margin – what’s left after expenses

• Assets - what they own

• Liabilities – what they owe

• Equity - (Assets - Liabilities). Their wealth.

If you want to speak an owner’s language, talk about profit margin and equity. That’s how you connect with them.

Let me give you a real example: service providers for the intellectually and developmentally disabled.

Their business model typically includes a mix of five programs:

• In-home support

• Group homes

• Respite care

• Community development

• Adult day programming

Each agency might focus more heavily on one than the others, but they almost always fall into those five categories.

Most of their revenue comes from Medicaid or state funding, which means compliance is everything. If they don’t meet program requirements—including insurance—they don’t get paid.

They also tend to be asset-light. Aside from group homes or vehicles, they don’t own much. Their caregivers are their biggest asset—and their biggest expense. Caregivers are the beating heart of the business.

When I walk into a meeting with an IDD provider, I already know all of that. So I can jump right into asking relevant questions. I’m not starting from scratch.

Step 2: Know the Coverages (Use Underwriters as a Resource)

Once you know the business, you need to know the insurance coverages that industry requires.

This is where your underwriters become an incredible resource.

Now, they’re not going to tell you what to sell—because they can’t give advice to your client. But if you frame it the right way, you can get gold.

Ask your underwriter:

“In an ideal world, what would a fully protected program look like for this type of business?”

They’ll walk you through the nuances that matter.

For example, with IDD providers:

• Abuse and molestation and professional liability premiums depend on the level of care and the staff roles involved.

• If they have doctors or nurses on staff, you’ll need to check for special exclusions or premium increases.

• If they offer in-home support, you may need theft of client’s property coverage under a crime policy.

• If their vehicles have permanently attached medical equipment, you’ll need to address that on the auto side.

The key here is that you have to know the business before your underwriter can help you place the right coverages. It’s a partnership—and when you bring expertise to the table, they’ll meet you there.

Step 3: Know the Marketplace (Find the Right Carriers)

The third leg of mastery is knowing the insurance marketplace for that niche.

You need to know:

• Which carriers are strongest for that industry

• Who’s competitive on price

• Who understands the risk

• And how to get their attention

If you’re lucky, you’ll have access to senior agents who’ve worked in the space. They can tell you exactly who writes what.

If not, lean on wholesalers—they live in the niche and often know the appetite of various carriers.

And don’t forget your underwriters. They know who they’re losing to. If you can get them talking, they’ll give you competitive intelligence—not because they want to gossip, but because they want to win deals with you. If they see you’re serious, they’ll help.

Knowing the marketplace allows you to position your quotes strategically, get the best terms, and avoid wasting time with the wrong carrier.

What Mastery Really Does for You

When you know the business, the coverages, and the marketplace, something powerful happens:

• Your confidence grows

• Your meetings go smoother

• Your win rate climbs

• And you stop sounding like a commodity

Buyers can feel it. They know when you’ve done your homework. They know when you're one of them. And they will want to work with you.

The best part? You can build this knowledge in the background. You don’t need to fake it in front of a client. You can do your research, study accounts, interview insiders, and get reps in private—until you’re ready to step forward as the clear expert in your space.

Final Thoughts: Choose Mastery

If you want to grow in commercial insurance, stop trying to be all things to all people. You don’t need 100 niches—you need one that fits you and your market.

Master it.

Understand the business. Understand the coverages. Understand the marketplace.

When you do, you’ll go from “just another broker” to the obvious choice.

💬 What niche are you working on? Drop it in the comments.

📩 Want help growing your commercial book? Reach out at insuranceforentrepreneursdh@gmail.com

Or find me on LinkedIn — I’d love to connect.

And as always—go build something great.