Stress levels fall among brokers but regional support gap remains

While the number of brokers reporting high levels of stress and anxiety at work has fallen, disparities in resources across firms and persistent generational differences are leaving some staff more vulnerable than others.

This is according to recent findings from specialist insurer Ecclesiastical Insurance’s Understanding Broker Mental Wellbeing 2026 report – the latest in a seven-year series of reports – released today (18 August 2026).

Despite Ecclesiastical stating that brokers reporting high or very high stress levels had fallen “notably”, the 2026 report still found workplace anxiety was high, with 67% of brokers reporting periods of stress in the past year.

Workload (69%), regulation and compliance (57%), customer demands (53%), insurer relationships (45%) and staff shortages (41%) were all cited by high volumes of brokers as active drivers of anxiety.

Dave Carey, managing director for intermediary at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “As our industry continues to evolve through technological change, rising customer expectations and increasing complexity, supporting wellbeing remains more important than ever.

“The opportunity isn’t simply to help people cope with pressure, it’s to create environments where they can thrive, develop and build long-term careers.”

Stress management

Approaches to stress management, however, were not found to be equal across demographics. Young brokers were found to be less likely to accept high levels of stress, a fact that Ecclesiastical said should drive firms to “build flexibility, psychological safety and genuine wellbeing support into working life”.

Furthermore, support around mental wellbeing varied considerably across the country. Just 34% of provincial brokers were found to have access to counselling support, compared to 52% of regional brokers and 79% of national brokers.

Carey said: “Wellbeing is no longer a peripheral issue for our industry. The firms that will succeed in the future will be those that create cultures where people feel supported, valued and able to perform at their best.”