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January 23, 2026  

Commercial Insurance Market Remains Firm, But Shows Early Signs of Moderation

According to the latest data from the Ivans Index, the commercial insurance market continues to stay firm overall. Nevertheless, there are early signals that conditions may be easing from the peak tightening we’ve seen in recent years.

For most major commercial lines, average premium renewal rates increased year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2025. This is a sign that carriers are still disciplined in their pricing. They demonstrate careful underwriting. However, some lines showed moderation or even decreases compared to the prior quarter.

Here is some notable data by line of business (Q4 2025 vs Q3 2025):

Lines Showing Reduced Renewal Momentum

  • Commercial Auto: Average renewal rate declined to 6.97% from 7.60% last quarter potentially indicating more competitive pricing or underwriting tightening easing. Based on other reports I regularly monitor, I don’t expect this to be the case anytime soon.
  • Business Owners Policy (BOP): Averaged 7.52% with a slight reduction vs Q3.
  • Workers’ Compensation: Continued its downtrend with a -1.61% change. Still negative but a modest move compared with prior quarters.

Lines Still Firm or Hardening

  • General Liability: Saw a notable increase……7.23% in Q4 vs 5.89% in Q3.
  • Commercial Property: Continued upward momentum with an average 8.01% renewal change.
  • Umbrella: Also ticked up slightly, ending the quarter at 9.49%.

The data suggests the overall market is still firm, particularly in liability and property exposures where carriers remain cautious. That said, the softening in some lines, like commercial auto and workers’ compensation, indicates that carriers are adapting. They are reacting to evolving risk conditions and competitive dynamics.

For insureds, expect continued firm conditions in key exposures, especially if loss activity or inflationary pressures persist.

One thing that remains consistent, proactive risk management and strong loss history remain crucial differentiators when negotiating renewals with underwriters.

If you’d like help analyzing how these market trends impact your portfolio, I can also help with your renewal strategy. Feel free to reach out. I’m here to help you navigate this dynamic landscape.

-JK

September 9, 2025  

August 2025 Insurance Trends: What SMBs Need to Know

Running a small or mid-sized business comes with enough challenges—managing insurance costs shouldn’t feel like deciphering Wall Street reports.

Every month, the Ivans Index tracks how commercial insurance renewal rates are trending nationwide. The August 2025 results are in, and there are a few key takeaways that matter directly to your bottom line.

Commercial Insurance Rates Are Still Climbing, But at Different Speeds

  • Commercial Auto: Renewal rates slowed slightly, now averaging +7.19% (down from 7.96% in July).
  • Businessowners Policy (BOP): Continued climbing to +7.65% (a bump from 7.55%).
  • General Liability: Saw one of the bigger jumps, moving to +5.91% (from 4.98%).
  • Commercial Property: Ticked down slightly to +7.84% (from 7.98%).
  • Umbrella Liability: Rose to +9.02%, the highest among all lines.
  • Workers’ Compensation: Still trending negative at –1.45%, but that’s actually good news—premiums are still decreasing year over year.

What This Means for SMBs

  1. Auto Fleets & Delivery Vehicles
    If your business owns company cars or vans, you may see some relief compared to earlier this year. But, rates remain elevated. Now is the time to revisit fleet safety programs, driver training, and telematics—steps that can earn discounts.
  2. Protecting Your Core Business (Businessowners & Property)
    BOP and property insurance continue to trend upward. For businesses that rent or own space—or rely heavily on equipment and inventory—this means budgeting for higher premiums at renewal. It’s also a reminder to double-check coverage limits: rebuilding and replacement costs are still affected by inflation.
  3. Liability Coverage
    Both General Liability and Umbrella are climbing. With lawsuit costs rising, insurers are charging more to provide extra protection. SMBs often underestimate their liability exposure, but a single claim can easily pierce through a $1M policy. Umbrella coverage, while pricier, is becoming more critical.
  4. Workers’ Compensation
    The lone bright spot—rates remain in the negative. If your payroll has grown, this can help offset increases elsewhere. Strong safety programs and low claims history can keep this trend working in your favor.

Why Staying Ahead Matters

The Ivans Index pulls data from over 120 million transactions across 700+ carriers and 38,000 agencies. In short: these numbers reflect what’s actually happening in the market right now.

For SMB owners, the lesson is clear:

  • Don’t wait until renewal time to discover higher premiums.
  • Review your policies proactively with your insurance broker.
  • Explore risk management strategies that can reduce claims and keep costs in check.

Final Takeaway

Insurance costs for small and mid-sized businesses are still trending upward, especially in liability and umbrella coverage’s. Workers’ comp is the exception, offering some balance.

By planning ahead, SMBs can manage these shifts. They can do this by working closely with a knowledgeable advisor. This approach protects both their people and profits.

October 9, 2015  

Commercial Building Insurance – 2401 N. Palm Ave.

Congratulations to a client who closed escrow on this fine 8,250 square foot commercial building in Signal Hill on Wednesday. We wrapped up the Property, General Liability, and Commercial Umbrella insurance for the building so it’s time to move in now.

@JimKinmartin

-JK

July 31, 2015  

Insurance For Medical Office Towers In Torrance

Just wrapped up the insurance renewals for these two medical office towers in Torrance. 140,000 Square feet

  • Property Insurance
  • General Liability Insurance
  • Umbrella / Excess Liability Insurance
  • Earthquake Insurance
  • Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Medical Office Towers (618x800)

-JK

September 17, 2014  

Travelers Insurance: Insuring Technology Companies

Travelers Insurance Company has joined the ranks of other major carriers such as The Hartford in writing coverage for technology companies. Travelers Global Technology President Ronda Wescott and Chief Underwriting Officer Mike Thoma provide their perspective:

If you have a Life Science or Software and Information Technology Company and would like a review of your current insurance portfolio, feel free to contact me anytime. I can help market your coverage’s with all the major carriers specializing in this sector.

Some of the most common insurance coverage’s important to the Life Science or Software and Information Technology industry are:

  • Property
  • Commercial General Liability
  • Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)
  • Workers’ Compensation
  • Commercial Automobile
  • Commercial Umbrella/ Excess Liability
  • Cyber Liability & First Party Data Privacy Expense
  • Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)
  • Employment Practices Liability
  • Fiduciary Liability
  • Crime
  • Kidnap and Ransom
  • Group Medical Insurance
  • Group Life and Disability

-JK

August 23, 2010  

Commercial Umbrella Insurance Defined

Commercial umbrella insurance, also referred to as excess liability, provides coverage when a liability claim goes above the aggregate limit of liability and the basic policy limits are exhausted. By purchasing a commercial umbrella, you can protect your business from being liable for this excess liability in a judgement. For instance, if you have $1 million in general liability coverage and a covered claim is settled for $1.5 million, your small business’s umbrella liability insurance policy would pick up the additional amount.

Commercial automobile, commercial general liability, workers compensation, or any other liability policies can be covered by a commercial umbrella.

Not only does an umbrella cover underlying insurance policies, but they may also provide coverage if a basic liability policy is not in force or when there are gaps in coverage under basic liability policies. When a commercial umbrella needs to step up and provide coverage for basic liability loss, it does not pay the loss from the first dollar. It’s common to have a Self-Insured Retention (SIR) amount of at least $10,000. SIR is the equivalent to a deductible. That means if there is a liability claim or loss and no corresponding underlying policy in force, you must pay the first $10,000 of the loss before the umbrella policy responds.

Commercial umbrella policies are typically purchased in $1M increments. The premiums vary depending on your business classification and underlying policies. Policies are often inexpensive considering the added coverage a business gains. For everyday businesses with average risk exposures, umbrella premiums are usually in the ballpark of $400-$600 annually for each $1M purchased.

You can never go wrong purchasing a commercial umbrella policy for your small business. A single umbrella provides broadened protection over all your small business liability exposures. Having the added protection of a liability umbrella policy is coverage no small business should go without.

-JK