Submission friction now beats price in agent choices

August 26, 2026

Ivans, provider of the Ivans Exchange connectivity platform for insurance agencies and carriers, has published its 2026 Insurance Agency-Carrier Connectivity Trends survey report, finding that friction within the submissions process has overtaken product and price as the leading factor in how independent agents decide where to place business.

According to the findings, 90% of agents said they have cut back on business with a carrier because of submission-related friction, with the need to re-enter risk data across several carrier portals identified as the biggest frustration, named by 74% of those surveyed.

Commercial submission automation emerged as the capability agents most want to see from carriers, sought by 79% of respondents, ahead of real-time AMS data upload at 61% and automated delivery of claims loss runs at 44%.

The report also found that digital submission and policy servicing experiences now outweigh commission for 76% of agents, with straightforward quoting and submission processes, at 86%, and faster binding and issuing, at 75%, rated as the digital experience outcomes agents value most.

The survey further highlighted that commercial lines-focused agencies experience these challenges more intensely than their personal lines counterparts, re-keying data 70% of the time compared with 62% for personal lines-heavy agencies. These commercial-focused firms were also found to depend far more heavily on email, used by 49%, rather than dedicated submission capture software, used by just 7%.

The 2026 Ivans Connectivity Survey gathered responses from 702 independent agents between April and May 2026 through a voluntary online questionnaire covering digital connectivity preferences, workflow pain points and technology usage. Its findings draw on nine years of trend data, information from the Ivans Exchange platform, and interviews conducted with an executive advisory council.

Applied Systems Carrier president Michael Streit said, “This year’s survey findings confirm that our technology investments are focused exactly where agents say the value lives: experiences that make working with carriers easier. We continue to invest heavily in removing friction for agencies and carriers alike, and more carriers are getting on board every day.”