With opportunites expanding in the commercial vehicle market, Progressive offers these tips:

Offer a policy review. Your current customers might not realize they need different insurance coverage when they begin using their vehicles for business.

Start with a few commercial policies a year. You don't have to commit to launching a commercial division in your agency. Simply start by focusing on the opportunities you have when current customers' insurance needs change, or market to businesses that are getting a boost from stimulus funds, like these:

• Start-up contractors and tradesmen (e.g., pavers, painters) established specifically to ride the wave of upcoming highway and housing projects
• Existing companies that are expanding to bid on the same infrastructure jobs
• Customers that are going green with new vehicles and building improvements that could affect their premiums

Reinforce your relationship. Provide expert recommendations that offer your customers the best protection. Commercial policies generally provide higher liability limits, which most commercial enterprises need. Vehicles that require state or federal filings may also require higher limits. In some cases, a commercial auto policy can actually be less expensive while providing those higher levels of protection for your customers. Other advantages of a commercial auto policy include specialized coverages, including Hired Auto and Employer's Non-Ownership Liability, Non-Trucking Liability, and Drive Other Car coverage. These coverages aren't available with a personal auto policy.