For Canadian insurance brokers, the traditional nine-to-five workday is quickly becoming a relic. As consumer behaviour changes, brokers are finding themselves fielding inquiries earlier, later, and more often – and many expect those pressures to intensify heading into 2026.
“We’re seeing clients shop much earlier than they used to. People are moving fast,” said Aaron Blackwood (pictured left), senior sales manager at Mitch Insurance Brokers.
He said the surge in early shopping isn’t just a matter of timing – it’s a reflection of how easily consumers can access information online.
“Access to information is vast, and people can compare options on their own. That means our focus has to be on speed to contact, responsiveness, and filling in the gaps they can’t resolve on their own.”
Traditionally, brokers could expect most clients to start comparing prices around major events – buying a car, closing on a home, or renewing a policy. Now, Blackwood said, those patterns have broken down. “In the past, the trigger was usually a major purchase or renewal date,” he said. “Now we’re getting a lot more people engaging around home or car insurance when they renewed six months ago, and there’s no lifestyle change.”
To keep pace, Mitch Insurance has already extended its operating hours to reflect how and when clients are actually shopping. “We have changed our hours of operation on the sales side to be more in line with when consumers [are shopping],” Blackwood said.
As hours lengthen and clients shop more aggressively, the conversations brokers are having are also changing. The pressure of higher premiums and rising rates has made price a constant point of discussion – not just at renewal, but throughout the policy term.
“We’re having [that conversation] more frequently now,” said Cassie Gilroy (pictured right), senior manager, personal lines service at Mitch Insurance Brokers. “People are far more price-conscious. We’re having it at different touch points that we didn’t use to have it.”
That shift, she said, hasn’t changed the core of what brokers do – but it has made the job more complex. “Our job is to make sure that our clients are making informed choices, and now we’re talking about other options that people wouldn’t have considered before – potentially reducing coverage, taking lower limits than they may have in the past,” Gilroy said.
Her focus, she added, is on helping clients understand the trade-offs behind those decisions. “We just want to make sure they have the information they need, that they understand the implications of what those coverage choices are, and then provide them with as many options as they need to make their decision.”
Behind those conversations lies another challenge: whether brokers have enough insurer partners to deliver real choice in a tightening market. “We also have to be aware of the options that we have available – do we have the right number of insurer partners? Do those insurer partners give a range of options?” Gilroy said. “If we don’t have enough companies, or the companies we have aren’t in line with market rates, our retention is going to go down.”
Still, she believes trust can steady those relationships. “If we’ve built trust with a client, provided the right information, and an option that works for them, they’ll stay with us.”
As technology reshapes consumer behaviour, it’s also redefining what clients expect from their brokers. Instant quotes, online comparisons, and 24-hour access have transformed the buying process – and raised the bar for responsiveness.
Blackwood said digital tools have permanently changed the rhythm of the industry. “The instant quoting, the access to information and premium comparison … it’s raised the bar,” he said. The challenge for brokers, he added, is not only to meet those expectations but to add meaning behind the numbers.
“Prospects and clients alike want their answer when they are looking for it,” Blackwood said. “We have to continue to be nimble … to be there for our clients and provide that context.”
That context – explaining what coverage really means at the time of loss – is where human brokers still matter most. A client can find a price in seconds, but understanding what that price actually buys remains far more complex. Blackwood described that role as one of “trust translation,” turning technical coverage details into clear, practical guidance.
Internally, his team refers to brokers as “problem finders,” not just problem solvers – uncovering the risks clients don’t yet see. “The problem isn’t ‘I need insurance,’” he said. “The problem is I need to know what I don’t know.”
