PROCESS
Insurance Consulting · How It Works

Four steps.
Total clarity.
No surprises.

Most business owners have never had an independent advisor walk them through their commercial insurance or employee benefits program. They do not know what to expect, what questions to ask, or how to tell whether their broker is doing a good job. This page answers all of that — before you commit to anything.

← Back to Insurance Consulting
The Process

What happens,
step by step.

01
Step One
Independent Coverage Review
Free. No obligation. No conflict of interest.

The first conversation is a review of what you currently have — your P&C policies, your employee benefits programs, your limits, your deductibles, and your broker relationships across both disciplines. Misty is not trying to sell you anything at this stage. She is trying to understand your business and your current program well enough to tell you the truth about it.

Most business owners come in thinking their coverage is fine. Many leave this conversation with a list of gaps they had no idea existed. Some leave confirming their program is solid — which is a win too, because certainty has real value.

What you bring
Your current P&C policy declarations pages, your employee benefits summary plan descriptions, a summary of your operations and employee population, any contracts that require insurance, and your most recent renewal documents for both programs. Bring what you have — we work with it.
How long it takes
Initial conversation: 45–60 minutes. Full review and written findings: delivered within 5–7 business days depending on the complexity of your program.
What you walk away with
A plain-language summary of what your current coverage actually does and does not cover
Identified gaps — specific exposures you carry that are either uninsured or underinsured
An honest assessment of whether your current program is appropriately priced
A clear recommendation: keep what you have, make targeted changes, or proceed to a broker review
02
Step Two
Broker Scorecard
Is your broker actually earning your business?

Most business owners renew with the same broker year after year out of inertia — not because they have evaluated performance. The broker scorecard changes that. Misty evaluates your P&C and benefits brokers separately against a structured set of criteria across five dimensions: service delivery, market access, renewal strategy, claims or service support, and proactive risk or plan management.

This is not about finding a reason to fire your broker. Some brokers score well. When they do, that is valuable to know — and you can go back to them with the confidence that comes from having actually verified their performance rather than assumed it. When they do not score well, you have documented evidence and a clear case for going to market.

What gets evaluated
Responsiveness and accessibility · Carrier relationships and market leverage · Renewal timeline and preparation quality · Claims advocacy and involvement · Proactive communication between renewals · Overall value relative to compensation
What you receive
A written broker scorecard with scores across each dimension, a narrative summary of findings, and a clear recommendation: maintain the relationship, put them on notice with specific expectations, or proceed to RFP.
What you walk away with
Documented evidence of your broker's performance — not a gut feeling
Specific, defensible criteria for any conversation with your current broker
Clarity on whether your program's issues are coverage-related or broker-related
A clear go-forward recommendation with reasoning
03
Step Three
RFP & Marketing Process Guidance
Go to market on P&C, benefits, or both — and actually get what you need.

Most business owners who go to market for new P&C or benefits brokers do it wrong. They accept inbound calls from whoever reaches out, they evaluate proposals based on price alone, and they end up with a broker who won the beauty contest but cannot perform under pressure.

Misty guides the RFP and marketing process from start to finish. She helps you define what you are actually looking for, structure the RFP so it surfaces real capability rather than polished presentations, evaluate responses based on substance not salesmanship, and make a selection you can defend — to your CFO, your board, or yourself.

She is in your corner throughout. Not the broker's.

What the RFP includes
Business and risk profile documentation · Coverage specifications and requirements · Service level expectations · Carrier and market requirements · Evaluation criteria and scoring methodology · Timeline and process structure
How long it takes
RFP development: 1–2 weeks. Broker response period: typically 3–4 weeks. Evaluation and recommendation: 1 week. Full process: 6–8 weeks depending on complexity and your timeline.
What you walk away with
A professional RFP document that signals sophistication and gets serious responses
A structured evaluation scorecard for comparing broker responses fairly
Misty's independent recommendation — with documented rationale
Confidence that you selected your broker based on capability, not charisma
04
Step Four
Trusted Broker Referral & Ongoing Advisory
The relationship doesn't end at placement.

When you are ready for a broker, Misty connects you with vetted specialists from her network — matched specifically to your industry, your risk profile, and your operational complexity. She does not refer randomly. Every broker in her network has been evaluated on track record, market access, claims performance, and the kind of relationship they build with clients over time.

After placement, Misty remains available as your independent advisor. Annual review check-ins, renewal season preparation, claims advocacy guidance, and a second set of eyes on anything your broker brings you — so you always have someone in your corner who works for you, not for the commission.

What makes a referral trusted
Industry specialization that matches your risk · Demonstrated claims advocacy track record · Carrier relationships that provide real market leverage · Client retention data that reflects actual satisfaction · Direct accountability to Misty for performance
Ongoing advisory
Annual program reviews · Renewal season check-ins · Claims situation guidance · Contract insurance requirement reviews · Coverage updates as your business grows · Available by phone or email when something changes
What you walk away with
A broker introduction with context — Misty has already set expectations on your behalf
An independent advisor who stays in the picture after placement
Someone to call when your broker is not giving you a straight answer
A long-term relationship built on your interests, not a transaction
Real Scenario

What this looks like
in practice.

Composite Scenario · Details Changed for Confidentiality
A mid-size Florida contractor — 47 employees, $8M in annual revenue — had used the same broker for nine years.
They renewed every year without question. They assumed their coverage was competitive. They were wrong on both counts.
Week 1
Coverage Review
Initial consultation
Misty reviewed their current declarations, contracts, and renewal history.
In the first conversation, she identified that their completed operations coverage — one of the most critical exposures for any contractor — had a sublimit that had not been updated since the business doubled in size six years earlier. Their general liability limit was also below what their largest client contracts now required.
Finding: Two significant coverage gaps that existing broker had never flagged at renewal.
Week 2
Broker Scorecard
Performance evaluation
Misty scored the current broker across all five dimensions.
Service delivery was adequate. But market access scored low — the broker had placed the account with the same carrier for seven consecutive years without marketing the account. Renewal preparation scored very low — the owner could not recall a single proactive conversation from the broker outside of the renewal period itself. Claims support: the business had had two claims in five years, both of which the owner had navigated largely on their own.
Scorecard result: Below standard on 3 of 5 dimensions. Recommendation: RFP.
Weeks 3–7
RFP Process
Market engagement
Misty built the RFP, managed the process, and evaluated four broker responses.
The RFP went to four specialist contractors' insurance brokers. Two submitted responses that were primarily price-focused with limited detail on service model or claims approach. One submitted a strong response but lacked the carrier relationships needed for the specific subcontractor liability exposure. One — a regional specialist Misty had worked with previously — submitted a comprehensive response that addressed every requirement and demonstrated genuine expertise in contractor risk.
Recommendation: The regional specialist, with documented rationale across all evaluation criteria.
Post-Placement
Outcome
90 days later
New broker placed the account with updated coverages and competitive pricing.
The completed operations sublimit was corrected. General liability limits were increased to meet contract requirements. The total program cost came in within 4% of the prior year's premium — meaning the coverage gaps were closed at essentially no additional cost, because the new broker had better carrier relationships and actually marketed the account competitively.
Nine years of unknowingly carrying significant exposure — resolved in seven weeks.
The Point
This business owner was not negligent. He was trusting.

He trusted that his broker was doing the job. His broker was not doing the job — not because of malice, but because no one was holding them accountable to a standard. That is what an independent advisor does. Not replace your broker. Not sell you a policy. Hold the process accountable to your interests — and fix what needs to be fixed before a claim forces you to find out what you were missing.

This scenario is a composite example for illustrative purposes. Client details have been changed to protect confidentiality. Individual results will vary based on the specific circumstances of your business and insurance program.
Common Questions

What people ask
before they start.

How much does this cost?+

The initial coverage review is free and carries no obligation. After the review, if you want to proceed with a broker scorecard, RFP process, or ongoing advisory, those services are scoped and priced based on the complexity of your program. You will know the cost before you commit to anything. There are no surprises.

Does Misty earn a commission if I switch brokers?+

No. Misty is an independent consultant. She does not earn commissions on insurance placements. Her fee is paid directly by you for her advisory work. This is the entire basis of the value she provides — her recommendations are not influenced by what benefits her financially. When she tells you your broker is doing a good job, she is telling you because it is true, not because there is nothing in it for her to say otherwise.

Will going through this process damage my relationship with my current broker?+

The initial coverage review is confidential. Your broker does not know it is happening unless you tell them. If the broker scorecard comes back strong and you decide to stay with them, they never need to know this process occurred. If the scorecard reveals problems, you will have documented evidence and a clear framework for either raising those issues directly with your broker or proceeding to RFP — both of which are legitimate business decisions that any professional broker should respect.

My renewal is coming up in 60 days. Is there enough time?+

It depends on what we find. A coverage review and broker scorecard can be completed in 2–3 weeks. A full RFP process typically takes 6–8 weeks. If your renewal is in 60 days, there is enough time to complete a coverage review and broker scorecard and make an informed decision about whether to proceed with the current broker under modified terms, extend the renewal date, or initiate an expedited RFP. The worst thing to do is sign a renewal without having looked at it. Contact us as soon as possible and we will tell you exactly what is realistic for your timeline.

I already have a good relationship with my broker. Why would I need this?+

A good relationship is valuable. It is not the same as a good program. The nicest broker in the world can still be underinsuring you, underperforming on claims, or not going to market aggressively enough at renewal. This process is not about the relationship. It is about the program. If your broker is doing a great job, the scorecard will confirm it — and you will have that confidence based on evidence rather than assumption. That is worth something.

What types of businesses do you work with?+

Misty works with commercial business owners across industries — with particular depth in manufacturing, contracting, construction, distribution, logistics, and professional services. If you own a business and carry commercial property and casualty coverage and employee benefits programs, the process is relevant to you regardless of your specific industry. The initial review will tell us quickly whether your program has the complexity that warrants a full advisory engagement.

START
Start Here

The first conversation
costs you nothing.

The coverage review is free. The conversation is confidential. You will walk away knowing exactly where you stand — and what, if anything, needs to change before something forces you to find out the hard way.

Most people who start this process wish they had started it sooner. The ones who wait are usually the ones who find out what they were missing in the middle of a claim.

Free initial review — no cost, no commitment, no obligation to proceed further
Completely confidential — your broker does not know this is happening
No carrier commissions — Misty does not earn commissions from carriers. Referral fees from broker partners, when applicable, are disclosed upfront.
Response within 24 hours — every inquiry receives a personal response
Request Your Free Review

Tell us about your business and we'll schedule a time.

We respond within 24 hours. All information is confidential.