If Insurance Becomes a Commodity, How Can Brokers Stand Out?
Technology is changing how insurance is bought, sold and managed. Digital platforms, automated processes and increasingly sophisticated systems are making insurance products easier to access and compare.
But as the industry becomes more focused on efficiency and standardisation, could it also become harder for customers to recognise the differences between insurance products?
For insurance brokers, this raises an important question: if customers increasingly view insurance policies as interchangeable, how can brokers demonstrate the value of their expertise and advice?
The answer may lie in using technology to deliver a more personalised service, rather than allowing every customer experience to become the same.
Is Insurance Becoming Harder to Differentiate?
In a November 2026 article published by Insurance Times, Chubb's EMEA president, Ana Robic, raised concerns about the increasing commoditisation of insurance.
Speaking at the Insurance Innovators Summit, Robic warned that an excessive focus on standardisation and efficiency could make insurance products appear more interchangeable, encouraging customers to base their decisions primarily on price.
She also highlighted the opportunity for insurers to use technology to develop solutions that respond more closely to individual customer needs.
For insurance brokers, this brings an important distinction into focus: making insurance easier to purchase is not the same as helping customers understand which cover is right for them.
Two policies may appear similar at first glance but differ significantly in their exclusions, limits, conditions or suitability for a particular risk.
When those differences aren't clearly understood, price can become the deciding factor, even where a cheaper policy may not offer the most appropriate protection.
Why Price Isn't the Whole Story
Price will always influence insurance purchasing decisions, particularly when individuals and businesses are managing financial pressures.
However, customers may also value reassurance, expertise and a better understanding of the risks they face.
Chubb's Selling in Uncertain Times research explored how customers perceive value when purchasing insurance.
The research, conducted in 2021, surveyed 2,250 business decision-makers and 1,000 consumers across 15 international markets, including the UK.
It found that:
92% of respondents had become more price-sensitive than before the pandemic.
84% were spending more time comparing prices.
92% were open to speaking with brokers to help reduce uncertainty.
Although the research reflects attitudes in 2021 and is based on a global sample rather than UK respondents alone, it highlights an important consideration: customers can be concerned about price while still recognising the value of professional guidance.
For brokers, the opportunity is to make that value clear.
A commercial client, for example, may initially focus on the cost of a policy. But a broker's understanding of the business, its exposures and the consequences of inadequate cover can help the client make a more informed decision.
That expertise becomes particularly important when risks are complex or the differences between insurance products aren't immediately obvious.
Where Insurance Brokers Demonstrate Their Value
The role of an insurance broker extends beyond finding a competitive premium.
Brokers can help clients identify exposures, understand policy conditions, consider suitable levels of protection and navigate the insurance market.
They may also provide ongoing support as circumstances change, including during renewals, claims and periods of business development.
These services aren't always easy to communicate through a simple price comparison.
Consider two businesses operating in the same industry. They may require similar types of insurance, but differences in their premises, activities, contracts or risk management arrangements could lead to very different cover requirements.
An experienced broker can recognise those differences and explain why particular policy features matter.
This is where personal service and specialist knowledge become meaningful points of differentiation.
However, demonstrating that value also depends on maintaining an accurate understanding of each client over time.
Can Insurance Broking Software Support More Personalised Service?
Technology is sometimes associated with standardisation, but the two don't have to mean the same thing.
Consistent processes can support accuracy, record-keeping and service standards. The challenge is ensuring those processes still allow brokers to respond to individual client requirements.
Modern insurance broking software can help by bringing together client information, policy details, communications and servicing activities.
An effective broker management system should provide employees with access to the information they need to understand a client's circumstances, rather than requiring them to piece together details from separate records.
For example, when reviewing a commercial client's renewal, a broker may need to consider previous conversations, changes in business activities, claims history and existing cover.
Having that information readily available can support a more informed discussion about the client's current needs.
As Nick, Director of BrokerCentral, explains:
“Technology should make insurance broking more efficient, but it shouldn't make the service less personal. Every client has different risks and requirements, and brokers need the flexibility to respond to those differences. The role of good insurance software is to support that expertise, not replace it.”
The important distinction is that technology can support the process, while the broker remains responsible for applying professional knowledge and judgement.
The aim should be to standardise routine processes where appropriate, without standardising the advice every client receives.
What Should Brokers Look for in an Insurance CRM?
As client expectations evolve, maintaining a clear picture of individual needs becomes increasingly important.
An insurance CRM can support this by keeping client details, communications and relevant servicing information accessible to employees.
However, not every system approaches client management in the same way.
When researching the best insurance broker software systems UK providers offer, or conducting an insurance broker CRM comparison, firms should look beyond contact management features. The priority should be finding a system that supports the wider relationship between broker and client.
Useful questions include:
Client visibility: Can employees access relevant policy information, communications and servicing history in one place?
Flexibility: Can the system accommodate different client types, specialist products and servicing requirements?
Renewal management: Does it help brokers identify when client information needs reviewing or updating?
Collaboration: Can colleagues maintain continuity when several people are involved in servicing an account?
Integration: Can the CRM work effectively with the brokerage's wider policy management and operational systems?
For insurance brokers, CRM functionality is most valuable when it supports a complete understanding of the client, rather than operating as a separate database of contacts.
This is why reviewing an insurance broker software platform should involve considering how client relationship management works alongside policy administration, documentation and reporting.
Standardise the Process, Not the Advice
There are good reasons for brokerages to establish consistent processes.
Clear workflows can help ensure important activities are completed, information is recorded appropriately and clients receive a reliable standard of service.
But consistency shouldn't mean treating every customer as though their circumstances are identical.
A standard renewal process, for example, can help ensure reviews take place at the right time. What happens during that review should still reflect the individual client's exposures, requirements and changes in circumstances.
Similarly, automation may help prepare documentation or manage routine communications, but decisions about cover and suitability still require appropriate professional oversight.
The distinction matters because technology should create a reliable foundation for personalised service, not encourage a one-size-fits-all approach.
For brokers reviewing their broker management software, the question is therefore not simply how many processes can be automated, but whether the system provides the flexibility needed to support different types of clients and risks.
Helping Clients Recognise the Value of Advice
Even when brokers provide a highly personalised service, clients may not always recognise the work involved.
A customer may see the final quotation without knowing the considerations behind the recommendation, the cover differences examined or the discussions undertaken to understand their needs.
Making this value more visible can help brokers move conversations beyond premium alone.
That might involve clearly explaining why certain policy features have been recommended, highlighting relevant exclusions or demonstrating how the proposed cover responds to the client's particular circumstances.
It also means maintaining meaningful contact throughout the policy period, rather than limiting conversations to renewal.
The value of advice is not confined to the moment a policy is purchased. It can also be demonstrated through ongoing risk discussions, support when circumstances change and assistance when a claim occurs.
Technology can help brokers maintain the records and client information needed to support these conversations, but it is the quality of the advice and service that ultimately makes the difference.
The Future of Broking Shouldn't Be One-Size-Fits-All
As insurance technology continues to develop, standardisation and efficiency will remain important considerations for the industry.
But Chubb's warning highlights why progress shouldn't be measured solely by how quickly or cheaply insurance can be delivered.
For insurance brokers, differentiation comes from understanding risks, recognising individual needs and helping clients make informed decisions.
The right insurance broking software can support that approach by making client information more accessible, maintaining consistent processes and allowing employees to concentrate on the work that requires their expertise.
Technology and personalised advice don't have to compete. Used thoughtfully, they can strengthen one another.
In a market where insurance products may increasingly appear similar, the broker's ability to explain what makes them different could become more valuable than ever.
References & Further Reading
Insurance Times (9 November 2026) – Iris Hakaj, Chubb warns insurance risks becoming ‘commoditised’ as technology advances. Reporting on comments made by Chubb EMEA president Ana Robic at the Insurance Innovators Summit on 4 November 2026.
Chubb (2022) – Selling in Uncertain Times: Research Report – Part 1, How brokers can create value for clients. Based on a global survey conducted in 2021 involving 3,250 business decision-makers and consumers across 15 markets.