DSP Insurance Insights

Most business owners don’t have a people problem.

They have a communication problem.

Not internally, but across their advisors.

You might have a strong CPA. A solid insurance broker. Maybe even a financial advisor and an attorney you trust. On paper, that looks like a well-built team. But in reality, those individuals are often operating in completely separate lanes, solving problems without ever comparing notes.

And that’s where things start to break down.

Because your business doesn’t operate in silos. Your advisors shouldn’t either.

Most companies approach safety training the same way each year. They assign courses, send reminders, track completions, and move on. On paper, that process checks the box. But in practice, it often leaves a gap between completion and actual understanding.

That gap matters.

A driver glances at their phone for a few seconds. That’s all it takes.

A missed brake light. A delayed reaction. A crash that could have been avoided.

Distracted driving remains one of the most preventable causes of serious accidents on the road. And despite better awareness, the numbers have not meaningfully improved.

Here's something that stops me mid-conversation every time I bring it up with a business owner: If I told them they could start their own insurance company, keep the underwriting profit, and potentially save six figures a year, they'd think I was running a scam. But that's essentially what a captive is. 

A general contractor loses a subcontractor mid-project. Maybe they ran out of cash. Maybe they took on too much work and could not deliver. Maybe the signs were there for months and nobody was watching closely enough.

The result is the same regardless of the cause: delays, cost overruns, a damaged owner relationship, and a scramble to find someone who can pick up the pieces.

Here is the uncomfortable truth. In most of those situations, the outcome was preventable.

Water damage is one of the most common and costly insurance claims homeowners experience. In fact, it is estimated that nearly one trillion gallons of water are lost each year in the United States due to common household leaks. Many of these losses begin with small issues that go unnoticed until damage has already occurred.

One appliance that deserves a little extra attention is the refrigerator. Water supply lines, filters, and seals can all contribute to leaks or inefficiencies if they are not inspected regularly. A quick annual check is a simple way to prevent water damage at home and keep your appliance running efficiently.

Most employers spend more on employee benefits every year. Costs go up. Complexity goes up. But outcomes? They stay flat.

Most businesses renew their insurance program the same way each year.
Meet with their broker. Review the numbers. Negotiate a little. Move on.

But very few companies stop to ask a more important question:

How does our program actually compare to the rest of the market?

Not what one carrier thinks. Not what last year looked like.
What does the data say?

Most private business owners have some version of a succession plan. A buy-sell agreement drafted years ago. A vague understanding that the life insurance policy covers it. A handshake with a partner about what happens if one of them walks away.

What most owners don't have is a plan that reflects the business as it exists today.

That gap is where things get expensive.

The U.S. surety market hasexperienced robust premium growth in recent years, driven by strong demand forcontract bonds tied to large-scale infrastructure spending and generalincreases in contract sizes stemming from inflationary cost pressures. However,against this backdrop of growth, surety loss ratios have trended upward,prompting a noticeable shift in underwriting posture across the market.