Where brokers find new clients in 2026

Ask, and there’s a good chance you’ll receive, say 71% of respondents to our 2026 National Broker Survey, who indicate requesting referrals from existing customers is the best way to generate new sales leads.

That’s solid bump up from 64% of respondents saying the same thing in last year’s survey. Men responding to Canadian Underwriter‘s 2026 survey (82%) favour the tactic more than women respondents (66%).

What’s more, mid-career brokers with between 16 and 30 years in the business are most supportive (90%) of referral requests, followed by newer brokers with 16 or fewer years (72%) and veterans (59%) with more than 31 years in brokerage.

“Personal referrals. Do your job well, be honest with your existing clients, and they will send you people,” says a verbatim response from a male survey participant who’s newer to the business.

His answer was among dozens from brokers who simply wrote “referrals” into the 2026 survey verbatim field.

Canadian Underwriter’s 2026 National Broker Survey heard from 169 brokers, with 32 identifying as brokerage owners or principals. The survey was conducted in February 2026, with support from Sovereign Insurance.

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Another mid-career male respondent says he’s actively “mining my current clients for warm referrals and introductions.” And several verbatim responses note consistent customer service and efforts to truly learn about client needs lead customers to refer them to friends and family without having to be asked.

In second place is networking at 58%, up from 53% last years and a recent low of 46% in 2022. Male respondents (68%) favour the approach more than women (51%), while those at mid-sized and larger firms (62% for both) more enthusiastic about the tactic than newer brokers (57%).

Brokers at smaller firms say they rely less on networking (54%), compared with those at mid-sized firms (60%) and large firms (64%).

Verbatim survey responses show strong support, with several saying networking lets brokers explain their value propositions to potential customers. Respondents providing written comments add social media can leverage networking efforts if brokers use posts to genuinely educate prospective clients and don’t openly solicit.  

One woman respondent who’s newer to brokerage says she’s built a network from parents of her teenage children’s friends.

“Being present in the schools [and] community through my kids’ social activities helps me get out there outside of a known avenue,” she writes. “[This] helps build trust with my brand as they see me as a mom and human first, which helps build a foundation as someone who can assist providing insight for risk management of their various investments…”

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Rounding out the Top 3 responses, 49% say they ask peer professionals, such as accountants or lawyers, for referrals. That’s up sharply from 38% last year and more in line with the 43% and 46% seen in 2024 and 2023 respectively.

Men are most likely to use the tactic (59%) compared with women (46%). And those in their mid-careers are more likely to seek referrals from peer professionals (64%), compared to 58% of newer brokers and 26% of veterans. Brokers at large firms most often find cross-professional referrals helpful (64%), with less enthusiasm among those at smaller (47%) and at mid-sized (43%) firms.

“The most effective way I’ve seen brokers win clients is through referrals from existing clients and professional partners like mortgage agents, realtors and contractors,” says a woman respondent who’s newer to the business. “It works because trust is already built before the first conversation, so closing is easier and retention is higher.”

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She advises peers to focus on relationships, not sales, and to stay in touch with clients after policies are bound. “When people feel taken care of, they naturally recommend you,” she adds.

Related: What our Broker Survey says about team motivation

Completing the Top 5, 25% of brokers say maintaining an active social media presence helps generate client leads. That’s down from a high of 34% in 2022 but consistent with results between 2023 and 2025. Women are more likely to say (33%) the tactic works than men (22%).

Lastly, 23% of respondents say they engage in personal advertising beyond what their firms provide. That’s up from 18% last year and 19% in 2024, but consistent with the low-20-percent results seen in 2023 and 2022. Women are slightly more likely (27%) to embrace the tactic than men (21%).

Phil Porado

Phil, an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience in financial topics, has been managing editor of Canadian Underwriter for more than three years.