Every year, Zywave asks employers across the country an important question: what does it take to keep their business? The 2026 Broker Services Survey just delivered the answer, straight from more than 1,400 employers nationwide, and the results paint a clear picture of where the broker-client relationship stands today, and where the opportunity is for brokers ready to act on it.
Satisfaction Is High, But So Is Hidden Risk
On the surface, the broker-client relationship looks strong. The survey reveals that nearly 85% of employers say they’re satisfied or very satisfied with their broker’s services, continuing a multi-year trend. But the data tells a more nuanced story underneath that number.
A third of clients say they only evaluate their broker when something goes wrong, meaning a book of business that looks secure on paper can carry more risk than it appears to.
What Drives Employers to Switch Brokers?
The survey asked employers directly what would push them to look elsewhere, and the answers were consistent: slow response times, inconsistent communication, and a broker who isn’t acting as a true strategic advisor.
Being seen as a trusted advisor, rather than simply a salesperson, has climbed steadily over the past several years and now ranks as the second most important factor in broker selection, right behind responsiveness itself.
The Communication Gap Employers Are Feeling
Communication cadence is one of the clearest gaps in this year’s data. 75% of employers want to hear from their broker at least monthly, but current delivery isn’t quite keeping pace with that expectation, especially at the monthly and quarterly level.
Renewal timing tells a similar story. The survey highlights that many employers want renewal conversations to start at least three months out, with many preferring six months or more, giving brokers ample opportunity to lead with proactive outreach rather than last-minute quotes.
Where the Biggest Opportunities Lie
Beyond communication, the survey uncovered specific service gaps in both employee benefits and commercial insurance. Employers are asking for multiyear strategic benefit planning, deeper healthcare cost guidance, and more proactive risk management strategy, and in each case, meaningfully fewer brokers are fully delivering these services than employers say they need. These gaps represent some of the clearest, most concrete opportunities for brokers to differentiate and deepen client trust in the year ahead.
Want the Full Story? See the Data Live on August 5
These highlights are just a preview of what’s in the complete 2026 Broker Services Survey. The full results dig deeper into year-over-year trends, C-suite expectations, and line-of-business breakdowns across employee benefits and commercial insurance, all of it aimed at helping brokers understand exactly what their clients need from them right now.
Check out our on-demand webinar for a full look at the complete 2026 Broker Services Survey results. Zywave’s Ben Knapp and Josh Bradford walk you through what’s driving broker selection and switching decisions, where the biggest service gaps show up in HR, risk management, and compliance, and concrete strategies you can put to work immediately.
