Insurance Agent vs Online Purchase Preference Survey
Map how retail insurance buyers evaluate, compare, and choose between agent-led and digital purchase channels across trust, pricing, and policy complexity, so you can sharpen channel acquisition, fix conversion gaps, and benchmark segment-level retention.
CONTEXT & RELEVANCE
Why run this survey now
Most insurers don't lose policyholders purely on premium price. They lose them due to channel trust gaps, agent value confusion, digital friction, product complexity, and post-sale service failures, none of which fully show up in policy issuance reports or renewal dashboards.
If you are...
- Insurer competing on agent networks
- Digital-first insurance platform
- Distribution or channel strategy head
- Product pricing and portfolio lead
- Retention and renewal growth team
You're likely facing...
- Agent vs. online conversion gap
- Channel trust: digital vs. human
- Agents = personal/slow perception
- Online = cheap/risky perception
- Renewal drop-offs: channel switching
This will help answer...
- Channel preference drivers by segment
- Purchase journey drop-off stage
- Agent vs. online segment split
- Price sensitivity vs. trust trade-off
- Renewal channel switch triggers
RESEARCH THEMES
What This Survey Investigates
Eight interconnected research themes that map the complete policyholder journey from channel discovery to renewal decision.
Channel Discovery
- First touchpoint, agent or digital
- Awareness source by product line
Preference Drivers
- Agent vs. direct channel preference
- Key decision criteria by segment
Product & Advice
- Policy complexity vs. self-service comfort
- Advice adequacy across product types
Purchase Friction
- Drop-off points, online and offline
- Documentation and KYC barriers
Pricing & WTP
- Premium sensitivity by channel
- Willingness to pay for agent service
Claims & Servicing
- Agent role during claims process
- Post-issuance servicing expectations
Trust & Credibility
- Agent trust signals vs. platform trust
- Brand credibility across purchase channels
Renewal & Switching
- Channel shift at renewal stage
- Switching triggers, agent and online
SAMPLING STRATEGY
Tell us about your ideal sample
Help us understand your target respondent profile. Select what applies, we'll design the optimal sample plan based on your inputs.
METHODOLOGY
Survey approach
For the Insurance Agent vs Online Purchase Preference Survey, we recommend a quant-first design with flexible data-collection modes to balance reach, depth, and verification.
EXECUTION PROCESS
How we execute
A proven 9-step process from scoping to delivery, designed to ensure quality, speed, and actionable insights.
Define the decision frame
Confirm objectives, target cohorts, geographies, and reporting cuts
Define the decision frame
Design the instrument
Build workstream modules mapped to outputs (drivers, friction, pricing, retention, trust)
Design the instrument
Lock the questionnaire
Review wording, sequencing, LOI, and competitive context; approve final version
Lock the questionnaire
Pilot and calibrate
Test comprehension and ease quality; refine quotas and remove friction where needed
Pilot and calibrate
Run fieldwork
Execute collection with active quota management and feasibility controls
Run fieldwork
Assure quality
Dedupe, attention checks, speed/consistency rules, removals with audit trail
Assure quality
Prepare the dataset
Clean data and deliver codebook/variable definitions
Prepare the dataset
Analyse and synthesise
Driver ranking, leakage diagnostics, pricing bands, segment insights
Analyse and synthesise
Deliver and align
Executive deck (optional dashboard) and leadership readout with recommendations
Deliver and align
COMMERCIAL TERMS
Request a Commercial Proposal
Pricing depends on cohort, geography, sample size, approach, LOI, and deliverables. Configure below for an indicative estimate.
Select Sample Size
Geography
Select Mode of Survey
Length of the Interview
$0.00
+ applicable taxes
Cost Breakdown
Note: Estimate is indicative only. Final pricing is subject to scope finalization after discovery call.
REFERENCE CASELETS
Reference
Real-world examples of survey work in the insurance distribution and channel preference space.
Term life channel preference & friction mapping (India)
OBJECTIVE
WHAT WE DID
DELIVERED
Term life channel preference & friction mapping (India)
Health insurance renewal decision & agent value audit (West India)
Term life channel preference & friction mapping (India)
OBJECTIVE
A mid-size life insurer needed to identify why first-time term buyers in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities defaulted to agent-led purchase over direct digital channels , and which friction points caused drop-off before policy issuance.
WHAT WE DID
Ran a structured quant survey across 600 respondents, capturing channel shortlisting triggers, trust signals by channel, premium comparison behaviour, documentation friction, and stated reasons for abandoning self-serve flows before completing purchase.
DELIVERED
A channel preference map by buyer segment, a ranked friction list across agent and digital touchpoints, and a set of trust signal levers specific to first-time term buyers in non-metro geographies.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about this survey mandate.
What decisions will this survey enable?
Who is the buyer vs who are the respondents?
Can we see differences between agent-first buyers, direct online buyers and hybrid channel buyers?
How will you measure channel purchase preference beyond simple ratings?
Will the survey map the full insurance purchase journey and drop-offs?
Can this survey inform product and pricing strategy?
How will findings improve our agent network and digital acquisition strategy?
Still have questions?
Schedule a discovery call to discuss your specific needs and get a custom quote.