Build a side-by-side record using the same business brief for each quote. Compare what is insured, what is excluded, how limits work and what you must pay or do when a claim arises. Then compare the total price.
Send the same brief to each provider
A fair comparison starts before the quotes arrive. Use the same legal business name, activities, turnover period, client locations and claims information in each application. If one provider asks an additional question, keep the answer with your records and consider whether it changes information you gave elsewhere.
Do not select the lowest price from submissions describing different businesses. Label any differences clearly and ask for revised terms where necessary. The aim is to understand the trade-off you are making.
Create a comparison sheet
| Record for each quote | Useful question |
|---|---|
| Activities and insured entities | Does the wording reflect every service and entity in my brief? |
| Limit and any smaller sublimits | Which figure applies to the exposure I am comparing? |
| Deductible, retention or excess | When is my contribution due, and does it apply to defence costs? |
| Territory and jurisdiction | Does the answer change for my overseas client work? |
| Exclusions and endorsements | Which amendment changes the standard wording? |
| Total cost | What is the full amount, including stated fees, taxes and instalment charges? |
Keep an unanswered-questions column
An empty cell is more useful than an assumption. Write “not yet confirmed” when the documents do not answer a question, then ask the provider to identify the relevant clause. Save the response and the version of the wording it refers to.
Do not rank quotes while one has unresolved questions about a service central to your business. For example, a consultant who mainly implements software needs a clear answer about implementation, even if the quote includes a broad-sounding consultancy label.
Compare the same scenario across quotes
Use an illustrative dispute based on how you work, with no actual client data. Describe the task, the alleged error, the party making the allegation and the type of loss. Ask each provider which provisions you would need to examine. This does not produce a binding claims decision, but it can expose differences you need to understand.
Keep examples neutral. Do not invent a claim to submit to an insurer or ask a broker to guarantee an outcome. The policy and real facts determine how an actual incident is handled.
Record why you chose the policy
When you decide, write a short note covering the key reason, any limitations you accepted and the questions you resolved. Attach the final documents rather than an earlier quote. Add the renewal date to your own calendar and keep the claims contact where you can find it.
Our printable quote checklist turns this workflow into a review sheet. Use it to support a conversation with a licensed professional, not as an automated suitability score.
An illustrative comparison with no invented prices
Suppose Quote A lists your full range of services, while Quote B uses a shorter activity description. The immediate task is to resolve the difference, not to declare one better value. Ask whether the difference is only wording or reflects a different scope, and obtain an answer tied to the documents.
Next, suppose one quote expresses defence costs differently. Put that issue in its own row. A single overall score could conceal a difference central to the risk you want to discuss. Keep important unresolved points visible until the provider explains them.
Only then compare the total payable amounts and the limitations you would be accepting. This sequence makes your decision record more useful without pretending that a general website can choose a suitable policy for you.
Sources & further reading
Sources consulted 2026-10-06. Examples and worksheets are original illustrations, not accounts of actual claims.