Surrey's family-owned commercial brokerage. Same family. Same Fleetwood address — since 1994.
We write commercial policies for contractors, trucking operators, restaurants, retail, professional services, and manufacturers across Surrey and the Lower Mainland. Your broker has a name. Your broker answers the phone. And when you have a claim, your Prime advisor is on the line with the adjuster — not a 1-888 number three provinces away.
Need a Certificate of Insurance (COI) today? Existing clients: 2 hours during commercial desk hours. New clients: same business day with complete information.
On a job site? Text us. In a truck? Call us. Walk-ins welcome at 150-8888 152A St, Surrey.
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
After 30+ years of writing commercial policies in Surrey, we've heard every version of every problem. These are the three we hear most often.
"My premium jumped at renewal and my broker can't explain why."
You shouldn't need a translator to understand your own policy. We walk through every line of your renewal with you — including the parts your last broker glossed over.
"The landlord needs a Certificate of Insurance today and nobody is answering."
Existing Prime commercial clients get their Certificate of Insurance within 2 business hours during commercial desk hours. We mean it. If we miss the window, you get a gift card — details below.
"I thought WorkSafeBC was enough. Now I'm not sure."
It almost never is. WorkSafeBC covers your employees if they're hurt on the job. It doesn't cover a customer who slips in your shop. That's Commercial General Liability (CGL) — and most Surrey business owners don't know the difference until they need it.
30+ years in the same Fleetwood office. Still owned and operated by the Shergill family.
Prime Insurance is owned and operated by Kul Shergill, B.Sc., Cert Ed, and his family. We've been licensed through the Insurance Council of BC since we opened our doors in 1994 — and we've been in the same Fleetwood location the whole time. Our first Autoplan policy was written in 1990. That client is still with us.
That matters because commercial insurance isn't a one-time transaction. It's a relationship that runs through renewals, audits, claims, staff changes, expansions, slow years, and good years. You want a broker who will still be there in year ten, not one that got acquired, rebranded, or consolidated into a regional call centre.
WorkSafeBC is not the same as Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance.
This is the single most expensive misunderstanding in the BC commercial market. If you remember one thing from this page, make it this.
WorkSafeBC
Protects your employees.
WorkSafeBC is no-fault workplace injury coverage. If your employee is hurt on the job, it pays their medical costs, wage replacement, and rehabilitation. It's mandatory for most BC employers. It does not cover a customer, a client, a member of the public, or property damage to anyone else.
Commercial General Liability (CGL)
Protects you from everyone else.
CGL covers third-party claims — a customer who slips in your store, a client whose property your crew accidentally damages, a member of the public injured by your operations. It pays legal defence, settlements, and judgments. Most commercial landlords in Surrey require CGL limits between $2M and $5M before tenancy. We'll tell you what your specific lease requires before you sign.
Insurance isn't "set and forget."
Book a 15-Minute Commercial Coverage Review.
In 15 minutes, you'll know where your coverage holds, where it breaks, and whether your policy still matches how your business actually operates.
Sit down with a licensed Prime advisor for 15 minutes — phone, video, or in our Fleetwood office. Within two business days of that call, you'll receive three things in writing:
- A side-by-side comparison of your current policy against three competing insurer quotes.
- A plain-English summary of any coverage gaps we find — including whether you're confusing WorkSafeBC with Commercial General Liability.
- A written recommendation you keep. Even if you decide to stay with your current broker.
Eight coverages every Surrey business should understand.
Plain-English definitions, no jargon. Click through to get a quote or ask a question on any of these.
Commercial General Liability (CGL)
If a customer slips in your store, or your crew damages a client's property, CGL pays the medical, legal, and settlement costs. Standard $2M limit. Required by most Surrey commercial leases — limits vary.
Get a CGL review →Commercial Property
Covers your building, stock, equipment, and leasehold improvements against fire, theft, water damage, and most accidents. Own or lease — you need it.
Review property coverage →Business Interruption
Replaces lost income and keeps paying rent, wages, and loan payments if an insured loss forces you to shut down temporarily. Property insurance alone isn't enough.
Check BI coverage →Cyber Liability
Covers data breach response, ransomware, phishing, legal fees, and customer notification. Canadian small-business data breaches commonly cost six figures (NetDiligence Cyber Claims Study, 2025).
Get cyber coverage →Errors & Omissions (E&O)
Also called Professional Liability. Covers you if a mistake, bad advice, or oversight in your professional work causes a client financial loss. Essential for accountants, consultants, realtors, notaries.
Review E&O coverage →Commercial Auto & ICBC Fleet
Covers vehicles used for business. 5+ vehicles qualifies for Fleetplan and up to 63% discount. 20+ vehicles makes Fleetplan mandatory.
Review fleet coverage →Commercial Crime / Employee Dishonesty
Covers theft of money, stock, or property by employees or trusted insiders — a quiet exposure for retail, restaurants, offices, warehouses, and manufacturers.
Add crime coverage →Equipment Breakdown
Covers mechanical or electrical failure of boilers, HVAC, walk-in coolers, kitchen equipment, and production machinery — the losses your property policy specifically excludes.
Add equipment breakdown →Six Surrey industries we know from the inside.
Surrey issued 12,090 commercial and industrial business licences in 2024. We write policies across every category below — and we know the difference between a one-man trade crew and a fifteen-truck fleet.
Construction & Trades
Don't lose tomorrow's job because your broker needs three days for a Certificate of Insurance.
Electricians, plumbers, framers, roofers, HVAC, renovators, general contractors. You need CGL, tools and equipment coverage, and a broker who turns around a COI before your crew loses a day on site.
Typical coverages: CGL, Tools & Equipment, Builders Risk, Commercial Auto, WorkSafeBC (separate).
Contractor insurance in SurreyProfessional Services
You advise clients for a living. One bad outcome without E&O and your reputation is the least of your problems.
Accountants, lawyers, notaries, consultants, realtors, mortgage brokers, designers, therapists. Your biggest exposure isn't a fire — it's a client who claims your advice cost them money. That's E&O territory.
Typical coverages: E&O / Professional Liability, CGL, Cyber, Office Contents, BI.
E&O insurance for BC professionalsTrucking & Logistics
We've seen claims denied when the ICBC rate class doesn't match how the truck is actually used. We audit each unit free.
Owner-operators, small fleets, delivery vehicles, and long-haul carriers. We review ICBC rate class, Fleetplan eligibility, cargo, CGL, and prorate before renewal — then handle complex fleet setups end to end. We speak Punjabi and Hindi.
Typical coverages: ICBC Commercial Auto, Fleetplan, Cargo, CGL, Prorate, Trade Plates.
Trucking & fleet insurance in BCFood Service & Hospitality
A grease fire, a walk-in cooler failure, or one slip-and-fall can close your doors permanently. The right package pays your bills while you rebuild.
Restaurants, cafés, catering, take-out, banquet halls. You're exposed to slips, fires, grease traps, food spoilage, liquor liability, and equipment breakdown. A standard policy misses at least two of these.
Typical coverages: CGL, Liquor Liability, Property, Equipment Breakdown, Food Spoilage, BI.
Restaurant insurance in SurreyRetail & Convenience
Your landlord wants CGL — limits vary by lease. Your lender wants property. Your customers want you open. One brokerage should handle all three.
Independent shops, franchise stores, service retailers. We bundle liability, property, crime, and business interruption so a single claim doesn't take you down.
Typical coverages: CGL, Property, Crime / Theft, BI, Glass.
Retail insurance in SurreyManufacturing & Light Industrial
Product liability, equipment breakdown, and cargo are the three coverages most often missing from a manufacturer's policy — and the three most likely to lead to a six-figure loss.
Machine shops, fabricators, wholesalers, warehouses. We look for the gaps that standard commercial packages leave open.
Typical coverages: Property, Equipment Breakdown, Product Liability, CGL, Cargo, Cyber.
Manufacturing insurance in BCThe ICBC rate class mistake we see denied every year in Surrey.
ICBC commercial auto is divided into rate classes — Business, Delivery, Fleet, and several others. If you're classed as 'Business' but you're actually making deliveries, we've seen these claims denied at claim time. The policy stays in force; the specific claim doesn't pay. Delivery is the more expensive rate class — that gap is what flags the mismatch. We see it in Surrey every year.
This isn't a coverage you buy. It's a classification you need to get right. If you drive anything for commercial purposes and you're not 100% certain your rate class matches how you actually use the vehicle, call us before your next renewal. A 10-minute phone call can prevent a denied claim later.
For operators with 5+ vehicles, ICBC Fleetplan opens up — with discounts that can reach 63%. 20+ vehicles and Fleetplan is mandatory. We handle fleet setup, renewals, and driver add/remove end to end.
When you have a claim, you call us first. Not a 1-888 number.
Commercial claims get messy. Adjusters ask questions you don't know how to answer. Insurers ask for documents you don't know where to find. Coverage definitions you read once at policy inception suddenly matter.
A named Prime advisor — Kuljeet, Seema, or another member of the team — works the claim with you and the adjuster. From the first report to the final cheque. Calls returned. Adjuster's contact details shared. Coverage questions answered in plain English. Settlement math walked through before you accept anything.
30+ years of doing this for Surrey businesses. No call centre. No rotating handler. No 1-888.
What to do when something happens
Call us first. Before the insurer if you can.
604-582-0557 during commercial desk hours (Mon–Fri 8:30am–6:00pm). After hours, leave a message and we'll get to it first thing. We'll triage the situation and walk you through what comes next before anything goes on a claim record.
We tell you what to document.
Photos, witness contacts, receipts, security camera footage, repair estimates. The first 24–48 hours are when evidence is freshest and easiest to gather. We'll tell you exactly what to collect and what doesn't matter.
We work with your adjuster on your behalf.
We get the adjuster's name, direct contact, and claim file number. We walk through your coverage with you in plain English so you understand what's covered and what isn't. We stay on the line for the questions you don't want to answer alone.
We can review settlement offers before you accept.
Adjusters work for the insurer. We make sure the math reflects your actual loss — including business interruption, replacement cost vs depreciated value, and anything the first offer leaves on the table. You don't sign anything until we've looked at it together.
We stay until the file closes.
Same named advisor from first call to final cheque. No handoff. No rotation. If something comes up after the cheque clears — supplementary claim, policy renewal questions, premium impact — same person picks up the phone.
When something goes wrong, you shouldn't have to figure it out alone. That's why your broker has a name.
Certificate of Insurance in 2 business hours. Guaranteed.
Contractors, tradespeople, and trucking operators make or break with Certificates of Insurance. Your job site needs one by 10:00am and your current broker isn't answering. We know the feeling.
For existing Prime commercial clients with active policies, your Certificate of Insurance lands in your inbox within 2 business hours of your request during commercial desk hours (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–6:00pm). Commercial COIs often involve multiple sections, multiple policy numbers, and specific named-additional-insureds — 2 hours lets us build it accurately the first time. For new clients, same business day with complete information.
Our retail counter is open 7 days for walk-ins, Autoplan, and general inquiries. The 2-hour COI guarantee applies to existing commercial clients during commercial desk hours Mon–Fri. If we miss the window, we'll send you a $50 gift card. No arguments.
Three kinds of commercial brokers. We're the third.
Be honest about what you're choosing between.
Direct-to-Insurer
The online quote
- One insurer. One product. No choice.
- No advocate when you have a claim.
- Software-led quoting with limited advisor interaction.
- Cheapest upfront. Often most expensive at claim time.
National Chain Broker
The call-centre scale play
- Multiple insurers, but a rotating advisor.
- Different person every time you call.
- Claim support may be handled outside the person who originally placed your policy.
- You're a file number in a national queue.
Family-Owned Independent Brokerage
Surrey, since 1994
- Named advisor who knows your file and your business.
- 2-hour Certificate of Insurance for existing clients.
- Owner reachable by email when you need escalation.
- Punjabi, Hindi, and English. Walk-ins 7 days.
— up 5% YoY
— the #1 sector, 21% of all Surrey businesses
— 2nd-highest year on record
— eligible at 5+ vehicles
— same family, same address
Real reviews from real Surrey clients.
All verified on Google. Pulled from our actual Business Profile — not a testimonial reel.
Service is excellent. I have been using Prime Insurance for ALL our insurance needs, from quads and trailers, through auto, home, and commercial liability. Kul Jr. knows me by name from the sound of my voice (or call display 🤣) and that makes me feel like a valued customer!
If you need auto, home or business insurance go see Kul at Prime Insurance. They have a professional team of agents that can take care of all your insurance needs. Been using them for almost 10 years.
Kul is the best at Prime Insurance! He has helped me with my personal vehicle insurance and insurance for my many vehicles for my businesses. Kul is always available to answer my questions and is quick to help. I highly recommend them!
Answers in plain English.
The 15 questions we hear most often from Surrey business owners. All schema-marked for Google.
What's the difference between WorkSafeBC and Commercial General Liability (CGL)?
WorkSafeBC covers your employees if they're injured on the job — it's no-fault workplace injury coverage, mandatory for most BC employers. CGL covers third parties: customers, clients, members of the public, and damage you cause to their property. You need both. One doesn't replace the other, and if your current broker hasn't explained the difference, that's a red flag.
How much does commercial insurance cost in Surrey BC?
Commercial premiums depend on industry, revenue, location, payroll, property values, vehicles, coverage limits, and claims history. A standalone $2M Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy carries one set of numbers; a full restaurant package or trucking placement carries another. Trucking, restaurants, and contractors typically pay more because their risk profile is higher. A 15-minute call gives you three real numbers to compare instead of an internet range that may or may not match your actual exposure.
Is business insurance mandatory in British Columbia?
Legally, only two coverages are mandatory: ICBC commercial auto (if you own business vehicles) and WorkSafeBC (if you employ anyone). Everything else is practically mandatory — your landlord, lender, or clients will require CGL and often property insurance before they'll sign with you. Many Surrey commercial leases set the CGL minimum at $2M, but we have seen $5M required by strata councils, large landlords, and general contractors.
Do I need commercial auto if I'm using my personal vehicle for business?
Probably yes. ICBC has specific rate classes — Business, Delivery, Fleet, and several others — that apply based on how you use the vehicle. ICBC's system catches the mismatch on heavier commercial vehicles before renewal. The exposure lives at the lighter end: a sedan delivering pizzas, an F-150 doing contractor work, a van doing courier runs — all rated personal use. We've seen claims denied when the rate class didn't match the actual use. The policy stays in force when this happens — the specific claim is what doesn't pay. If you drive anything for business and you're not certain your rate class matches your actual use, call us before your next renewal. A 10-minute phone call can prevent a denied claim later.
How many vehicles do I need before ICBC Fleetplan applies?
Fleetplan is optional at 5+ eligible vehicles and mandatory at 20+. Eligible fleets can earn discounts up to 63% based on claims experience. Fleetplan also consolidates renewal dates, removes the need to designate a principal operator for each vehicle, and protects drivers' personal records from at-fault fleet crashes. We handle fleet setup, renewals, and driver add/remove end to end.
What does Commercial General Liability actually cover?
CGL covers third-party bodily injury, third-party property damage, and related legal defence costs arising from your business operations, products, or premises. Classic examples: a customer slips in your shop, your crew damages a client's property, or a member of the public is injured by your operations. The common standard limit is $2M, with $5M required by many strata councils and general contractors. It does not cover your own property, your own employees (that's WorkSafeBC), or professional advice (that's E&O).
Does my home insurance cover my home-based business?
Almost never. Standard home insurance policies specifically exclude business-related property and liability. You need either a home-based business endorsement on your home policy or a standalone commercial policy — and which one is right depends on your revenue, how often clients visit, and whether you store business inventory at home. We review home-based setups for free.
Will filing a claim raise my commercial insurance rates?
Not automatically, and not always. Small claims rarely move rates. Large claims or a pattern of frequent claims can. One of the biggest values of working with a broker is claim strategy — sometimes it makes sense to absorb a small loss yourself rather than file. Your broker should walk you through that math before you report. Ours does.
What insurance does a Surrey contractor need?
At minimum: Commercial General Liability, Tools & Equipment, Commercial Auto, and WorkSafeBC if you employ anyone. Builders Risk is project-specific. We see contractor coverage every week — call us for the full checklist for your trade.
What insurance does a restaurant in BC need?
The core stack: Commercial Property, CGL, Liquor Liability (if you serve alcohol), Equipment Breakdown, Food Spoilage, and Business Interruption. Equipment Breakdown and Food Spoilage are the two most commonly missing. Call us for the full restaurant insurance breakdown.
Do I need cyber insurance if I'm a small business?
If you store customer data, accept card payments, or use email for business — yes. Canadian small business data breaches commonly cost six figures; published averages exceed $200,000 for small and medium organisations (NetDiligence Cyber Claims Study, 2025). Cyber coverage handles breach response, ransomware, phishing recovery, legal fees, and customer notification. It's one of the fastest-growing coverages we write, and one of the most commonly missing from competitor-drafted policies.
What's the difference between CGL and E&O?
CGL covers physical harm and physical property damage. E&O (Errors & Omissions, also called Professional Liability) covers financial loss caused by professional advice, services, or decisions. A contractor drops a beam on a customer's car — CGL. An accountant files a client's taxes wrong and costs them $50,000 — E&O. Service-based professions need E&O. Physical-trade businesses need CGL. Many need both.
How fast can I get a Certificate of Insurance for a job site?
Existing Prime commercial clients with active policies: within 2 business hours, during commercial desk hours (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–6:00pm). Commercial COIs often involve multiple policy numbers and named additional insureds across several sections — 2 hours lets us build it accurately. New clients: same business day, with complete information. If we miss the 2-hour window for an existing client, we send you a $50 gift card. That's our written commitment.
Why did my commercial premium jump at renewal?
Several possible reasons: a market-wide hardening on your class of business, a claim on your file or a related business, a reclassification after audit, a change in your revenue or payroll, property revaluation, or a reduction in available capacity from your insurer. A good broker explains exactly which of those applies to you — and if the answer is "I don't know," it's probably time for a Coverage Review.
What happens if an employee has an at-fault crash in the company vehicle?
For non-fleet vehicles, the employee's personal driving record can be affected based on the vehicle's rate class. For Fleetplan vehicles (20+), the crash doesn't follow the driver into their personal insurance in the same way. The policy pays for third-party damage and injury. This is one of the most common questions we get from fleet operators, and the answer depends on your specific setup — worth a 10-minute call.
Fifteen minutes. Three competing quotes. One written recommendation.
Keep it even if you don't switch. No obligation, no sales pitch, no pressure. Intake calls available evenings and weekends.
604-582-0557 · Family-owned since 1994 · Independent licensed insurance brokerage
Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) & Hindi (हिंदी) spoken · Insurance Council of BC licensed