3 Secrets for Insurance Agency Retention

Unlocking a not-so-hidden key to success.

Let's state the obvious. 

Once you put in the hard work to get a new client, you don’t want to lose them. Retention doesn’t just show that your insurance agency offers the products, services, and experiences your clients want, it also gives an easy boost to business.

It’s 6X more expensive to get a new client than it is to retain one—and increasing your customer retention by 5% can increase your overall revenue by more than 25%, says HubSpot.

But we’re not telling you anything you don’t already know. According to the 2026 Independent Agency Growth Study, 98% of agents and brokers say retention is very important, ranking ahead of every other priority, including acquiring new business.

How does your insurance agency’s retention rate stack up?

If you’re wondering how your agency’s retention levels compare to others, Statista estimates that the average retention rate in the insurance industry is 83% and the Independent Agency Growth Study found that the average account retention rate for agencies is 84%.

3 Retention strategies that work for independent insurance agencies. 

Retention isn’t easy. Customers have access to nearly infinite insurance options with a click of the button, and they’ve continued to expect more and more from the places they spend their money.

Simply doing your job isn’t enough anymore. Insurance agencies with the highest retention rates go beyond the call of duty and find ways to showcase their business as a productive partner to community-focused organizations. Here's how you can do that too. 

1. Give back.

“When an agency shows up for its community, it creates more opportunities to build familiarity and goodwill,” says Colleen Flynn in Independent Agent Magazine. Further, agencies that ranked in the top 10% for retention in the Agency Growth Study indicated their team actively gives back in some way. 

This is especially important for community-focused agencies. 

Volunteering, donating, and supporting key causes is even more important when you specialize in community-focused industries, like emergency services, healthcare, public entities, and religious organizations, as most organizations in these spaces rely heavily on community support to thrive. 

Giving back not only showcases your agency as an active and reliable partner but also shows that you’re like-minded to the service and community-centered people at these organizations, which can serve as a powerful tool itself. Studies show that humans are drawn to people with similar attitudes, values, prejudices, personality traits or behaviors.

2. Communicate emerging risks.

Agencies with improved retention rates communicate with clients more often and about more relevant topics, says the Independent Agency Growth Study.

Further, among agencies with the highest overall retention rates—95% or higher—risk mitigation emerged as a common communication theme. Those agencies are especially likely to talk with clients about emerging risks, including severe weather and telematics.

According to Insurance Thought Leadership, here are a few rapidly transforming and critical risks to watch:

• Fraud—which costs the insurance industry over an estimated $308 billion per year.
• Healthcare technology, like wearables.
• Catastrophe planning, including coordinated teams dedicated to climate, business continuity, and catastrophes.
• Employee benefits and workplace wellbeing, with mental health claims now ranking second only to pregnancy in leave and disability.
• Liability and litigation: Between 2023 and 2024, the number of verdicts exceeding $10 million increased by 50% and verdicts over $100 million surged by 68%. 

3. Foster trust.

Consumer trust is on a steady decline across all industries, says Forbes. But, that means when a customer does feel safe with a business, they’re more likely to reward them. You can help build trust with your clients by: 

• Focusing on transparency. Be upfront about pricing, make your communications clear, and address concerns head-on.
• Showing up consistently. Prioritize delivering on your promises, taking accountability, and implementing policies and procedures that create excellent customer experiences, every time.
• Being authentic. Consumers increasingly continue to align themselves with businesses that deliver on their values (without facades).
• Doing the right thing. According to Forbes, 71% of consumers say they’ll lose trust in a brand forever if they perceive it as putting profit over people.
  
  

Glatfelter programs boast retention percentages in the 90s, with some as high as 98%!

At Glatfelter Insurance Group, we think our retention rates speak for themselves. We pride ourselves on being trustworthy and dedicated partners to our brokers, with premier insurance programs, renowned in-house claims management, shareable safety-forward client resources, and market strength and stability—all backed by a global, long-standing carrier. 

We're here to make a true difference for our brokers and clients—and hope to do the same for you. 

Agent & Broker Stories

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