DIBNI KNOWLEDGE GUIDE
Commercial Insurance Proposal Guide
What UK businesses should prepare before a commercial insurance introduction or broker conversation.
Published by DIBNI · Last reviewed 29 August 2026 · Editorial standards
QUICK ANSWER
What should a UK business prepare for commercial insurance?
Prepare a clear description of what the business actually does, its turnover and workforce, premises and assets, contracts, territories, claims history and important risk controls. The exact information varies by occupation and insurance class, but specific, current and internally consistent information gives an insurance professional the strongest factual starting point.
AT A GLANCE
What information should a business prepare?
A commercial insurance proposal is easier to understand when it describes the business clearly rather than relying only on a trade name or broad occupation.
Information commonly relevant to an insurance professional includes the business activities performed, turnover, employee numbers, locations, assets, contractual responsibilities, previous claims or incidents, territorial exposure and the types of customers or projects involved.
The precise information required varies by occupation, industry, insurer and class of insurance.
THE INFORMATION MAP
Eight areas that commonly shape a commercial insurance proposal
- Business activities: what the organisation actually does, including specialist or higher-risk activities.
- Turnover and scale: annual revenue, payroll, contract values or other measures relevant to the risk.
- People: employees, directors, labour-only workers, bona fide subcontractors and other workforce arrangements.
- Locations and assets: premises, equipment, stock, plant, machinery and other property requiring consideration.
- Contracts and responsibilities: work undertaken for customers, contractual obligations, limits of liability and professional duties.
- Claims and incidents: previous losses, allegations, notifications and material circumstances.
- Territories: where work is performed, where customers are located and which legal jurisdictions may apply.
- Risk controls: training, procedures, security, quality controls, health and safety arrangements, backups and other safeguards.
WHY DETAIL MATTERS
Why occupation alone is not enough
Two businesses using the same occupation label can present materially different insurance exposures. An electrician working only in domestic properties may present a different profile from an electrical contractor working on industrial sites, at height, on large contracts or using subcontract labour.
For this reason, a useful proposal should connect the occupation to the actual activities, scale, people, locations, contractual responsibilities and loss history.
Explore this structure through the DIBNI Business Occupations & Risk Profiles hub.
PROPOSAL QUALITY
What makes information useful to an insurance professional?
Useful proposal information is specific, current and internally consistent. It should distinguish routine activities from occasional work, explain unusual exposures, identify significant contracts or territories and disclose previous incidents accurately.
Clear information does not guarantee that insurance will be available or that particular terms will be offered. It gives the receiving insurance professional a stronger factual starting point from which to assess the enquiry.
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
What should I prepare before speaking to a commercial insurance broker?
Prepare a clear description of your activities, turnover, workforce, locations, assets, contracts, territories, previous claims and important risk controls. Additional information may be needed depending on the occupation and insurance class.
Why does a broker or insurance professional ask about turnover?
Turnover is one indicator of business scale and potential exposure. Its significance varies by insurance class and should be considered alongside activities, contracts and other risk information.
Why is claims history important?
Previous claims and incidents can help an insurance professional understand the type, frequency and severity of losses and whether circumstances have changed since they occurred.
Why does my exact business activity matter?
Business labels can conceal materially different activities. Describing the work actually performed helps distinguish routine operations from specialist or higher-risk exposures.
What does DIBNI do with this information?
Digital Insurance Brokers NI (DIBNI) acts as an introducer. DIBNI uses information supplied about the organisation and its circumstances to identify an appropriate proposal route and, where appropriate, make an introduction to an insurance professional.