If you’ve asked yourself “Where is the best commercial auto insurance near me?”, well, you’ve come to the right place and you can end your search because the agents at Schumacher are ready to help you out.

Just kidding… or are we?

All jokes aside, finding the right commercial auto insurance for your needs is not an easy task. With so much noise and the power of the internet, agencies and companies that are not qualified can paint a picture of excellence to convince you to trust them for your insurance needs.

In this article, we will break down some tips on how to find commercial insurance near you, how to break down a company’s online presence, how businesses (customers) can game the system and other important factors to consider.

Watch our video summary below or continue reading:

Search Google & Review The Top Results

The first place to start your search is the king of all searches… Google!

Start by searching for a few basic terms and phrases such as “commercial auto insurance near me”, commercial auto insurance NJ” or “commercial auto insurance”, and see what pops up on the first few pages.

Open up some of the websites that seem reputable and get a feel for what is out there. Consider putting together an Excel sheet to organize your favorites.

Search Google Maps & Google My Business

Next, search for similar terms in Google Maps. You may find similar results as the previous step, but this will give you more localized results, especially when you enter your exact location and coordinates.

From here you can also see a lot of valuable company details through Google My Business. You can see location photos, business contact information, customer reviews, social posts and other important information.

Additionally, you can review similar information in Apple Maps, Yahoo Local and Bing Places.

Check Them Out On Social Media

While you have the company websites up from the last two steps, look through them and see if they have links to their social media profiles. They most likely will be in the header (top) or footer (bottom) of the website.

These can be great indicators of a business. Ask yourself the following questions when analyzing their social pages:

  • Are they active on their pages?
  • Are they addressing customer comments and complaints?
  • Do they seem friendly?
  • Can you trust them?
  • Are they always selling or do they focus their company/clients/customer’s success?

While it is possible to create a facade of the above to make their business appear more friendly, these are still important things to consider as you narrow down your list of commercial auto insurance agencies near you.

Look At Review Sites

Next up, look at local review and directory sites for even more results. As we mentioned above, online reviews are a strong indicator of what a business is like, so take some time and analyze the reviews, along with the company responses.

Those sites include Yelp, Yellowpages, Foursquare, MapQuest and more.

Sometimes customers will leave a negative review just because they don’t get the rate they desired, which is not necessarily the fault of the commercial auto insurance agency near them.

Some may have had customer service complaints or something more serious, and it’s important to look at how the company addressed it. Did they respond apologizing for their negative experience and attempt to make it right? Or did they blame the customer and go after their integrity publicly?

Ask Around

By now you have a thorough list of commercial car insurance providers, but should have been able to eliminate several options of due to bad websites, weak social media and poor customer service.

Now it’s time to get back to the basics, and that means word of mouth. Word of mouth and referrals are some of the biggest money-makers not just for insurance agencies, but any business today.

As we mentioned, many consumers have grown weary of the internet and don’t always trust everything they read, which is why a referral from a friend who was a satisfied customer can go a very long way.

Talk to your friends, family, clients, partners, vendors and anyone else you can think of who has needed commercial auto insurance near them, and see if they have any recommendations, or experience with any of the companies you have researched.

Other Factors to Consider

There are several other factors to consider when searching for business auto insurance nearby. You may be able to find some of these out during your research and conversations. They include:

Size Of The Business

Are they a big or small company? If they are small, the service may be more personalized, but they may have limited resources, while if they are big, they may have lots of resources, but not enough time for you.

How Long Have They Been In Business?

If the company has a track record of sustained success over decades, you’ll feel more comfortable trusting them with your insurance needs over a new business. That’s not to say a new business can’t provide the same quality service, but it all depends on personal preference.

Broker Or Carrier?

When using a broker such as Schumacher Insurance Agency, we will shop around to different companies to get you the best deal. Insurance companies only have access to their own carrier, and may not offer you the best deal possible.

Specializations & Strengths

You might be more inclined to choose one insurance provider over the other based on their specializations. They may have more experience or focus solely on commercial auto insurance, while another company could be generalists and offer all types of business insurance.

Bundled Discounts

Some commercial auto insurance companies will offer you discounts if you bundle additional business or even sometimes personal coverages with your policy. Speak with each agent about any special opportunities to save this way.

Payment Options

It’s important you can pay the way you like. Whether you want to pay online, over the phone, mail a check, set up recurring payments, or any other alternative, you want to be sure the provider you opt for has the options you need. This can often be determined when you set up a consultation or request a meeting/quote.

Compare Quotes & Shop Around

Last but not least, speak with the insurance provider and request a meeting, whether it be in person or over the phone. From there, request a quote, and shop around. Speak to a few different providers and weigh the rates you received amongst the other knowledge you gained from your searches.

If you have any questions about finding the right commercial auto insurance near you, we’re here to help. Contact us today and get a quote.