Applied Systems Survey Reveals Submission Friction Now Outweighs Price for Independent Insurance Agents

Applied Systems® today announced the findings of its 2026 Insurance Agency-Carrier Connectivity Trends survey report, revealing that friction in the submissions process has become the primary factor determining where independent agents place business, outweighing product and price for the first time.

Key findings include:

• 90% of agents have reduced business with a carrier due to friction around submissions, and re-keying risk data into multiple carrier portals is the top pain point, cited by 74% of respondents.
• Commercial submission automation is the #1 capability agents want from carriers at 79%, followed by real-time AMS data upload (61%) and automated claims loss-run delivery (44%).
• 76% of agents said digital submissions and policy servicing experiences matters more than commission, with easy quoting and submission (86%) and speed to bind and issue (75%) ranked as the top digital experience outcomes.
• Commercial lines-heavy agencies face a more acute version of the problem, re-keying data at a rate of 70% versus 62% across personal lines-focused agencies, and relying far more on email (49%) than dedicated submission capture software (7%).

“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,” said Michael Streit, president, Applied Systems Carrier. “We continue to invest heavily in removing friction for agencies and carriers alike, and more carriers are getting on board every day."

The 2026 Connectivity Survey was completed by 702 independent agents between April and May 2026. Respondents voluntarily participated in an online survey covering digital connectivity preferences, workflow pain points, and technology use. The report incorporates nine-year trend data, Ivans Exchange platform data, and executive advisory council interviews.

View the full Annual Agency-Carrier Connectivity Report.