155 regional underwriters undertake relationship training

Zurich UK has invested in over 1,300 hours of training for 155 regional underwriters to build deeper relationships with brokers.

The initiative, in collaboration with Be Human Partnership, was first introduced for customer facing employees in the life and protection business in November 2023 in the form of ‘empathy training’. The results were so successful it has since been implemented in SME and most recently evolved to full relationship training across mid-market regional underwriters.

How does the training work?

The training improves underwriter’s self-awareness and refines their interpersonal skills. It also teaches employees how to better understand behavioural cues to establish genuine connections with brokers. It enables them to determine whether their brokers need detailed explanations or quick, high-level responses.

The in-depth research carried out whilst designing the bespoke training included on-site visits to across all regional offices to really understand how the business operates and the specific challenges for underwriting teams in each region.

The full-day training programme provided role-play scenarios with professional actors to bring to life the differing personality types. Through the training, participants discovered their own personality drivers and learnt how to spot and adapt to the needs of others.

David Nichols, Zurich’s Head of Retail, commented: “Investing in our people is always a top priority. This training has been a game changer for hundreds of our underwriters this year. It’s not just an off the shelf session, it’s designed specifically for the needs of the brokers in each region. We saw the impact it had on our SME business, so this is a tried and tested model for us.

“Ultimately, we want to offer our brokers the highest standard of service.  We’re not trying to fix a broken service model as we’ve already seen increasing TNPS scores every month, but we want to maintain this growth. Already we’ve had really positive feedback from brokers, and I’m delighted we can move into 2026 in such a strong position.”

Russell Wood - Broking Manager from Anthony James Insurance Brokers commented: "It's great to see the insurance industry investing in its underwriters. It's not just about developing technical skills, sometimes interpersonal skills can play an equally important role. Insurance is a relationship business after all, regardless or where you are in the business building rapport and offering the highest standard of service are key. This really is a worthwhile initiative."

Tom Pickett, Senior Underwriter in Croydon who completed the training comments: “Current market conditions mean that brokers are under immense pressure to process much higher workloads. The training has taught me to pick up the phone and provide as much support as required. If one piece of business isn’t right for us, a short conversation could lead to something we can help with whilst getting to know the individual more and understanding their personal needs. Adapting my communication style to each individual broker is a breakthrough for me. These skills help with every conversation in my role from co-workers and management alike. The impact is far reaching.”

Louise Griffiths, Trading Underwriter in Bristol who also completed the training comments: “The training really made me pause at the start of the conversation with the broker to understand what they need from me at that very moment. Whilst we’re all aware of social cues, the training makes it first thing on your agenda for every interaction. How you make someone feel during a business interaction is just as important as the efficiency of the service.”

The Global Empathy Training Program been carried out by 26% of Zurich employees through 46,000 hours of training across the UK, Switzerland, North America, Malaysia and Australia since launch in 2023 and continues to expand. As a result of the training and broader activity, there are measurable improvements: customer advocacy and loyalty are all trending upwards with the global Transactional Net Promoter Score (TNPS) rising by 7 points from January 2024 to June 2025.