Starting Out In the Business Of Insurance
Nowadays, for near enough any product, you can buy insurance. Insurance covers a product or item against damage or theft. So, if the item is broken or stolen, it will be repaired or replaced. You pay for insurance, usually on a monthly or annual basis, but it works out cheaper than buying a whole new item. Insurance coverage is considered to be essential for certain products. And, for some things, like cars, it’s a legal requirement.
But, how do you start up a company in the business of insurance? Obviously, it’s a lucrative market, as companies thrive in it. So, it can’t be that hard. Well, if you’re willing to put in the time and dedication, you shouldn’t have a problem breaking into this market.
Start Up Funding
First, you need some start up funding. You need a pool of cash before you can take on customers. Otherwise, you couldn’t payout claims. You need to be ready to make a payout on your first day of business, even if you’re not going to. So, this will require some work. Either, you can work hard and try to save enough money. Which, although it would leave you with ownership of the whole company, could also take a very long time to accomplish. Instead, it can be much better to look for funding elsewhere. If you create a business plan and do a lot of the work ahead of time, it shouldn’t be too hard to find an investor. Usually, it’s best to have your company ready to go, other than the funding, before you look for an investor.
Business Plan
Once you’re ready to start building your company, you need a business plan. This plan will include your goals for the next ten years and have a general plan for how you will get there. This has to be based in realism. Otherwise, it will be hard to get funding. So, be practical and seek honest advice about your venture. As your plan develops, it will be time to start thinking about the processes you want your company to use. Outline policies and methods that allow you to standardise your work. Use online resources to help you find the industry standards that big companies use.
Next, you’ve got to start doing some research. Dealing with something like insurance claims comes with a whole heap of legal difficulties. To make this easier, companies have been setup that provide insurance claims administration. These services handle the compliance side of things, as well as a whole host of other areas. They will calculate claims and make sure that you’re not giving away too much money. The will give you extensive support when it comes to reports and trend tracking. This only scratches the surface of what these companies can do, so it’s worth doing some research for yourself. For a new insurance company, these companies are essential.
Marketing
At this point, you’re ready to start thinking about your marketing. As an insurance company, there’s absolutely no need for you to have a physical shop. Instead, you only need a website and some social media accounts. Your website is incredibly important. As a web-based company, all of your business will be handled by the site. Of course, this means that your website needs to look professional. The best way to achieve this is through the use of a professional web developer. Website builders allow you to build a site, yes. But, the site you create won’t be anything like something made by a professional. With a website, your company can be almost entirely automated. Customers can buy their insurance, and make claims. So, you only have to be on the phone when something goes wrong. But, you can’t do this with a website builder.
Social Media
You also need to think about your social media. Websites like Facebook and Twitter can be seen as hosts for free advertising. Your posts have the potential to be seen by thousands of users, and it doesn’t cost a bean. You do have to invest some time, though. Social media takes a surprising amount of time from the day. Making posts and replying to comments can soak up hours if you’re not careful. So, it’s worth either hiring a dedicated staff member or taking out a day each month, to deal with the work.
Hopefully, this will inspire you to get out of the desk job and start controlling your own destiny. The law can be very strict, in certain places. So, it’s worth researching the rules before making any big decisions. But, once you have a working company, you’ll never be bored at work again.
