J.D. Power and Big ‘I’ Release the 2025 Independent Agent Satisfaction Study

• By: Will Jones
• October 1, 2025

This week, the Big “I” and J.D. Power released the “2025 U.S. Independent Agent Satisfaction Study.” It is the eighth year in a row that the two companies have teamed up to measure property & casualty independent insurance agents’ perceptions of their carriers.

The study tracks agent sentiment across multiple categories, including ease of doing business, communication practices and claims handling. It also separates findings between personal lines and commercial lines carriers.

This year’s report introduced a new agent experience hierarchy to better reflect how agents evaluate carriers, shifting from equally weighted categories to a tiered model: foundational needs as the baseline, performance needs as differentiators, and delighters as the value-adds that transform a carrier from “good enough” into a preferred partner.

“Technology, pricing and service are all important, but at the end of the day, relationships are what hold this industry together,” says Craig Martin, executive director, global insurance intelligence, J.D. Power. “The agents we surveyed consistently pointed to collaboration and trust as the keys to long-term success.”

“Ultimately, agents want partners who are invested in helping them succeed,” he added. “Carriers that effectively support agents in the fundamentals of the business and show a commitment to the relationship are the ones that will earn real loyalty.”

For personal lines, agents ranked accurate policy documents and responsive underwriting support as foundational needs (92%). Timely claims handling and underwriting flexibility were cited as performance needs (79%), while proactive communication, personalized service, and advanced digital tools were identified as delighters (58%).

For commercial lines, agents identified clarity in appetite guides and straightforward submission processes as foundational needs (88%). Turnaround time on quotes and willingness to negotiate terms were cited as performance needs (82%), while investments in training opportunities and dedicated support teams were seen as delighters (61%).

However, more than 2 in 5 agents say insurers meet half or fewer foundational needs, with 44% of personal lines agents and 43% of commercial lines agents saying insurers do not meet more than half of foundational needs.

In terms of the defined foundational needs, 60% of agents said carriers clearly communicate risk appetite for both personal and commercial lines. Forty-seven percent said personal lines carriers take into account relevant risks and events during onboarding, while 60% of commercial lines agents said carriers provide adequate support for the industries agents’ target.

In general, the report points out that agent satisfaction with carriers is considerably higher when risk appetite is clearly communicated.

And while nearly three-quarters of personal and commercial lines companies meet with agents at least once a year, the digital experience is sometimes lacking, with around half of personal lines agents (53%) and commercial lines agents (46%) saying that support material on the carrier’s dashboard or portal is easy to find.

Overall, 40% of personal lines agents describe carriers as easy to work with, and a key driver of that perception is how seamlessly insurer portals integrate with agency management systems.

Additionally, one-third of agents say that carriers ensure that the total compensation package is competitive in the market.

“As the industry continues to navigate economic pressures, evolving risks and shifting customer expectations, collaboration between agents and carriers has never been more important,” says Charles Symington, Big “I” president & CEO.

“This study underscores that when agents and carriers focus on fundamentals, build trust and invest in relationships, we all succeed,” he said. “By working together, the independent agency system can continue to both prosper and deliver the protection and peace of mind that Americans count on.”

Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief.