I think this debate will rage on for as long as the existence of agents and brokers themselves. Interesting to see this latest research from JD Power, signalling a shift away from brokers to direct and self-service.
For me, COVID-19 remains an 'accelerant'. We now merely do online what we used to do in person. It will take a while (post-vaccine etc) for us to return to any previous level of normality.
That said, opportunity still exits here, but we should instead focus on activities that add value - specifically where we get experience or advice and guidance, or where people simply wish to pay for the tasks to be done for them.
The opportunity ahead is still huge.
J.D Power's most recent study shows consumers are shifting away from agents for P&C insurance distribution due to COVID-19. Customers are redefining their expectations for their insurance carriers, and direct-to-consumer companies have been quicker to respond.
