Glossary
New business
New business is any policy an agency writes that is not a renewal of an existing policy: a brand-new client, or a new line of coverage for an existing client. Agencies track it separately from renewals because it measures growth, and because commission treatment can differ between the two.
The new business pipeline
The flow is the same across most agencies: intake (collecting applicant information), submission to carriers directly or through a comparative rater, quotes back, a proposal to the client, then bind. Each handoff is a place deals stall.
The stalls are predictable. Chasing the client for missing information. Portal-hopping across every appointed carrier. Re-keying the same applicant data into each portal, one at a time. The selling part is usually fast. The typing part is what stretches a quote from hours into days.
The growth math
A book grows when new business plus rate increases outpace lost accounts. An agency that only services renewals shrinks through normal attrition, which is why producer compensation plans usually weight new business production, with the exact split set by each agency.
Cross-sells count too. A new commercial auto policy for an existing BOP client is new business, and it does double duty: new revenue plus better retention, since multi-line accounts are harder to move.
In Relay
Relay's AI Quoting (Research Preview) runs configured carrier portal workflows and returns results with source evidence for your team to review. See how →
Common questions
Does a cross-sell count as new business?
Usually yes. A new line for an existing client is new business even though the client relationship already exists. Most agencies track it that way in their production reports.
Do carriers pay different commission on new business vs renewal?
It depends on the carrier contract. Some pay the same rate on both, others pay more on new business to encourage growth. The commission schedule in the carrier agreement is the answer.
Part of the Relay insurance operations glossary. Updated 2026-07-11. See how we source content.
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