HANDBALL is a great sport for keeping one in condition, and it occasionally has a significant effect on one's career–or at least it did on mine. During a handball tournament with a friend some 23 years ago, he learned that I was an insurance agent and I discovered that he was the controller of a trucking company. That encounter led to my first truck-insurance account and the beginning of a specialty in which I've been involved ever since. Today, I am the owner of agency that derives about 90% of its $3 million in annual revenue from truck insurance. For the most part, we insure trucking companies rather than individual owner-operators. In size, their fleets range from 200 vehicles to more than 1,000. We provide these clients with all the coverages they need, including auto liability, physical damage, cargo and workers compensation.

Most of our new business comes to us from referrals. When we become aware of new fleets in our territory, we seek information about them from existing clients. For carriers that appear to be good prospects, we may ask our insureds for referrals or introductions.

We are members of several trucking organizations, including the Illinois Trucking Association and the Indiana Motor Truck Association. Their rosters are useful for prospecting, but holding memberships in such associations is no substitute for “person-to-person” marketing and building strong relationships.