A client receives their renewal notice. The price has gone up. They have questions: why the increase, has anything changed in the cover, can they pay monthly, and what happens if they do nothing? They look at the broker's website, find nothing helpful and start looking at comparison sites.
Renewal is when clients are most likely to leave. It is also when clear answers matter most.
Why renewal is a risk
Clients rarely think about their insurance until renewal. A price increase, especially without explanation, prompts them to shop around. If they cannot get a quick answer from their broker, the comparison site is waiting.
A quote request that goes unanswered is the new-business version of the same risk, covered in quote requests that go cold before a broker replies.
The questions clients ask
- Why has my price gone up?
- Has my cover changed?
- How do I renew?
- What happens if I do nothing?
- Can I pay monthly?
- How do I update my details?
- Can you look for a better price?
- How do I cancel?
Example conversations
These scripts use information a broker might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Client: Why has my renewal price gone up? Assistant: The renewals page explains the general factors that can affect premiums, such as claims across the market, changes in your circumstances and changes in insurer pricing. For your specific policy, a broker can go through it with you. Would you like me to pass your details on?
Client: What happens if I don't do anything? Assistant: The renewals page explains whether your policy renews automatically. If you'd like to check before the renewal date, the team can confirm.
Client: Can I pay monthly? Assistant: Many policies can be paid monthly, as the payments page explains. The team can tell you whether that applies to yours and what it costs.
What must go to a broker
Specific explanations of a client's premium, changes to cover and advice about whether to switch should come from a broker. The assistant should capture the question and the renewal date, so the broker can prioritise.
Timing matters
Renewal questions have a deadline: the renewal date. Capturing it means the broker can reply in time. Screening questions like this, asked at first contact, are covered in receptionist screening questions.
Price sensitivity
Some clients are primarily concerned with cost. Discussing options without pressure, as described in qualifying by budget without being pushy, helps them feel heard.
Changes in circumstances
Renewal is also when clients mention changes: a new driver, an extension to the house, a new van for the business, more staff. These can affect cover and price. Capturing them at renewal, and passing them to a broker, avoids gaps in cover that a client might only discover when they make a claim. A simple prompt, such as asking whether anything has changed in the past year, often brings these out.
Repeated questions
Renewal questions are repeated every year, a little like parents asking schools the same questions every term, described in parents asking the same school questions every term. A good renewals page, updated each year, answers most of them.
Answering at any hour
SpideyChat for insurance agencies answers renewal questions from your own pages at any hour and captures questions for brokers with the renewal date. It does not give advice or quote prices.
A renewals page
Write a renewals page covering price changes, automatic renewal, payment options and how to talk to a broker. Then let clients get answers when their notice arrives. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about capture on the features page.