Small-business customers who buy coverage through predominatelypersonal-lines insurers have a higher satisfaction level than thosewho buy through commercial-lines carriers, J.D. Power's latestsatisfaction survey shows.

“While both groups show year-over-year improvement, insurersthat predominantly write personal lines insurance benefit from thepersonal relationships they are better able to build with theirsmall-business customers,” says Jeremy Bowler, senior director ofthe insurance practice at J.D. Power, in a statement. “Therelationship is typically established early because small-businessowners often purchase commercial insurance from the same agent thatprovides their home and auto insurance. Additionally, the agent isoften local, so they have more personal contact with theircustomers and better understand their business.”

J.D. Power says the survey of U.S. small businesscommercial-insurance buyers, now in its second year, shows overallsatisfaction at 783 on a 1,000-point scale, which is up six pointsfrom last year. Predominately personal-lines insurers scored 804,while commercial-lines-focused insurers scored 766.

The study, J.D. Power says, “examines overall customersatisfaction, insurance shopping and purchasing behavior amongsmall-business commercial insurance customers with 50 or feweremployees.” Satisfaction is measured through five factors:interaction, policy offerings, price, billing and payment, andclaims.

According to the study, 41% of customers with predominantlypersonal-lines insurers say they first had their personal insurancewith the insurer and added commercial lines later. Additionally,63% of these customers say they met with their agent in person,compared to 53% of those with commercial-lines-focusedinsurers.

“Satisfying customers has an economic impact on insurers,” J.D.Power says. “For example, 'delighted' customers of predominantlycommercial insurers purchase 1.5 additional products and pay morethan $2,000 in annual premiums, compared with 'dissatisfied'customers (overall satisfaction scores of 549 or lower).”

Below, see which insurers scored best among the 3,525respondents in J.D. Power's 2014 U.S. Small Business CommercialInsurance Study.