Nine in 10 brokers prefer regional insurer presence

Almost nine in 10 brokers say they prefer to work with an insurer with a strong regional presence.

That is according to insurer Aviva’s latest Annual Broker Survey, which also found that 87% of brokers rank strong relationships higher than competitive pricing for the success of their business.

Aviva said the survey, which was published today (23 March 2026), highlighted the growing importance of regional visibility.

Indeed, almost a third (31%) of brokers said their needs are better understood by insurers they can meet in person.

Meanwhile, 42% of brokers reported better service from insurers with regional support teams, 32% found such teams more accessible than equivalent centralised teams and a further 31% said they were better understood in face-to-face meetings.

Strong relationships

Michael Yabantu, managing director for mid-market at Aviva, said: “Brokers continue to tell us that strong relationships and face-to-face engagement are central to their success.

“With the largest broker footprint in the UK, our focus is on understanding what brokers and customers need, keeping our service as responsive as possible and making sure we meet the promises we make.”

He continued: “Our broad range of insurance solutions supports customers from small businesses through to large corporates and we’re here to work with brokers to help solve problems for their clients.

“Strong regional relationships are about more than winning or retaining business. They’re about making sure clients are properly protected against the risks most likely to affect them, whether that’s underinsurance, new technologies or emerging risks unique to the sectors they operate in and the geographical areas where they’re based.”