Gauging the Direct Commercial Lines Market Opportunity: Celent Study

The study’s author Karlyn Carnahan, head of Celent’s America’s Property/Casualty practice, says there has been, “an explosion in online offerings—from online agents, to MGAs to insurers. And we are aware of many more that are in the planning phase.” Firms selling commercial insurance have proliferated, such as Cerity, Thimble, Insureon and Pie Insurance.“But is this just a finger in the wind testing the opportunity—or is it real?,” asks Carnahan. “Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will come. Our initial question was: How interested are small business owners in buying direct? And if they are interested, what matters to them? If they are not, why not? What do agents need to do to keep them as clients?”