Yes. Asking a broker for quotes costs nothing and commits you to nothing. You can walk away from every quote you get. A quote is an offer from an insurance company, not a contract, and it is conditional: the insurer can change it or pull it before you buy if something does not check out. Who this is for: a business owner who wants to see what else is out there before renewal but does not want to get roped into buying.
The short version
- Quotes are free. The broker is paid by the insurer only if you buy, so there is no bill for looking.
- A quote does not tie you down, and it is conditional for the insurer too. Nothing changes until you sign a new policy.
- You can say no to every quote, take one, or take your quotes back to your current insurer.
- One thing to know: once a broker sends your application to an insurance company, no other broker can get a quote from that same company this year. So pick one broker rather than three.
- Be honest about your timeline and your current price. It makes the quotes better, not worse.
What does a broker actually do when I ask for quotes?
The broker collects a few documents from you, fills out the insurance application, and sends it to the insurers that want your kind of business. Each insurer that likes what it sees sends back a quote: a price, the limits, and the conditions. The broker puts them side by side and walks you through the differences. It is free to you, because the broker is paid a commission by the insurer only if you buy. More in whether a broker adds to your cost.
What am I agreeing to when I ask for quotes?
Only to answer questions truthfully and to sign an application if the insurer requires one before quoting. You are not agreeing to buy. Most quotes also list things the insurer still needs, such as your claims history or an inspection, and the insurer can change or pull the quote if those do not check out.
| Step | What you commit to | Can you back out? |
|---|---|---|
| Ask a broker for quotes | Nothing | Yes, any time |
| Send documents and sign the application | That your answers are true | Yes, any time |
| Receive quotes | Nothing. A quote usually expires in 30 to 60 days, and usually lists items the insurer still needs | Yes, just let it expire |
| Tell the broker to go ahead | You are buying. Coverage starts on the date you pick, which cannot be earlier than the day the insurer agrees to it. Nothing backdates coverage over a gap you have already worked through | Only by canceling the new policy, which may cost a minimum premium |
| Pay and receive the policy | The policy is in force | You can cancel, usually with a small penalty and a minimum you owe |
The line that matters is the fourth row. Until you tell the broker to go ahead, nothing has happened to your insurance.
Is there any catch to getting quotes I do not use?
One, and it is worth knowing before you start. When a broker sends your application to an insurance company, that insurer logs your business under that broker. If a second broker sends the same insurer your application a week later, it usually refuses to quote again. It does not hurt you with your current insurer, and it resets at your next renewal. But asking three brokers to quote at once can leave two of them with nothing to show. Read whether to ask several brokers to shop for you before you do.
How do I get the most out of free quotes?
- Tell the broker your real renewal date. Quotes arriving after you have renewed are wasted. Start 60 to 90 days out.
- Share your current price and policy. Hiding it backfires. The broker cannot tell you whether a quote is better without knowing what you have.
- Send complete documents once. Your current policy pages, your claims history report, and payroll by job type. See what to send a broker for fast, accurate quotes.
- Ask who was approached. Which insurers were asked, which quoted, and which said no and why. It tells you the shopping was real.
- Say no plainly if you are staying put. Brokers would rather hear it than chase you for a month.
Can I take the quotes back to my current insurer?
Yes. Many owners do exactly that, and the current insurer often sharpens its renewal to keep the account. It is worth telling the broker that is your plan. Brokers put real hours into a shopping round, and the ones who know where they stand will keep doing it for you year after year.
What this looks like in real life
Illustrative example. It is typical of what we see and is not a promise of how any specific situation would be handled.
The setup: A plumbing contractor in Massachusetts with five employees pays about $11,200 a year for general liability and workers comp. Her renewal is 70 days out and she has never shopped it. She worries that asking a broker means being pushed into switching.
What went wrong: She asks a broker for quotes and says up front she may just stay where she is. The broker sends her application to six insurers. Two decline because of a 2023 claim, four quote. The best package comes in at $9,600 with the same limits.
What it cost: She takes the $9,600 quote to her current insurer, which drops its renewal from $11,200 to $10,100. She then compares the two. The broker's quote includes blanket wording that lets her customers use her liability policy, which her old insurer charged $200 per customer to add. She switches, saving about $1,600 plus roughly $800 a year in add on charges. Total spent on getting quotes: $0. Illustrative figures.
The fix: Asking cost her nothing and committed her to nothing. Being honest about her price and her plan to compare got her a real list of who was asked, and a better policy.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I ask a broker for quotes without committing to buy?
Yes. Quotes are free and do not tie you down. You owe nothing, and your current policy does not change unless you tell the broker to go ahead with a new one and you pay for it.
Q: Will the broker charge me if I do not buy?
No. Brokers are paid by the insurer, and only when a policy is bought. If a broker wants a fee just to quote, that is unusual, and it should be put in writing before you agree.
Q: Does signing an application mean I am buying the policy?
No. The application tells the insurer about your business so it can price a quote. You are promising your answers are true, not promising to buy. You buy when you tell the broker to go ahead and you pay.
Q: How long is a quote good for?
Usually 30 to 60 days, and often only up to your renewal date. After that the insurer may requote at a different price. Ask for the expiration date on each quote.
Q: Will my current insurer find out I am shopping?
Possibly, when the new insurer asks for your claims history report. That is routine. It often leads your current insurer to sharpen its renewal offer, which works in your favor.
Q: What if I like a quote but am not ready to switch?
Tell the broker. They can often hold the quote until your renewal date, or requote closer to it. Do not let the quote expire in silence and then expect the same price later.
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Shopping a contractor's coverage with no obligation, and being honest about whether the current policy is already the best deal, is how most of our client relationships begin.
- Free contract review. Send us the contract or bid documents and we mark up the insurance section in plain English, whether or not you buy anything from us.
- Free, instant certificates. Clients issue their own certificates of insurance online in about a minute, any hour, any day, at no charge.
- Markets you cannot reach online. One application, shopped across many insurance companies for general liability, workers comp, auto, umbrella, and pollution coverage.
One more thing. This article is general information and is not legal advice or a statement of coverage. Your contract and your policy wording control in every case. Requirements vary by customer, by state, and by insurance company, so have a licensed advisor review your own contract and your own policy before relying on any of it.
Last updated: Reviewed by the Morrow commercial lines team. Last updated September 2026.