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Next Insurance (Palo Alto), a startup direct seller of small business insurance, has become a licensed insurance carrier. As a carrier, Next Insurance says it will now write policies independently, with far more freedom over underwriting, setting of prices, and configuring of policies, providing entrepreneurs and small businesses insurance that is simple, affordable and tailored to their specific needs.

The company aims to address the problem of under-insurance among small businesses. At a time when small concerns are proliferating—there are almost 30 million small businesses in the U.S. today, accounting for 99.7 percent of all businesses—but according to a recent survey, 44 percent of small businesses operating for at least a year have never had insurance, posing real risks to businesses in case of a lawsuit and to customers who use small businesses without insurance at great risk. Next Insurance’s approach is to streamline the small business insurance policy purchasing process, eliminating the need for insurance agents, and offering small business policies online that are easy to understand, comprehensive and highly tailored to each business’s needs.

“Becoming an independent, licensed insurance carrier became our goal the day we realized that existing insurance companies do not provide the insurance product that entrepreneurs want and deserve, comments Guy Goldstein, CEO and Co-Founder, Next Insurance. “This is a big step forward towards a more modernized insurance industry.”

“We are unique in our ability to understand the nuances of small businesses and their insurance needs, and being a carrier gives us the freedom to provide the most advanced policies on the market,” Goldstein adds. “We are impressed with the work of state insurance commissioners, who continue to champion new and innovative ideas to enable insurance offerings that meet the actual needs and demands of each market.”

Championing Technological Innovation with Regulators

Next Insurance reports that it offers a range of additional features to customers, at no additional cost. These include Live Certificate, which the company calls the industry’s first real-time certificate of insurance verification, as well as access to an online portal. The portal allows policyholders to add additional insured, update policy or payment information, send verifiable proof of insurance and more.

Next Insurance obtained its first carrier license from the State of Delaware and is currently expanding to all 50 states. As an insurance carrier, Next Insurance says it will continue to work closely with state insurance commissioners to champion technological innovation, exploring uses of AI/machine learning and other opportunities that will continue to revolutionize the small business insurance market.

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