Why Trust in Tech is Higher than Trust in Vendor
by Steve Pieroway, Founder, Benevolent Marketing —
Consider the following findings in the inaugural 2026 Benevolent Trust Index report:
- 67% of broker respondents believe insurtech promises of time savings, efficiency and ROI (return on investment) are overstated;
- 22% of respondents feel that vendors are honest about features, pricing and implementation during the sales process;
- 23% of respondents feel that vendors can be counted on to do what is right;
- 9% of respondents agree that vendors have made sacrifices for them in the past.
On their own these should give us pause to think about the relationship we have with insurtech. Together, however, they support one result that quietly stands out: trust in tech is higher than trust in vendor.
Now, you might think, “Can we ‘trust’ technology the same as we ‘trust’ businesses and the people who represent them?” and “Does this mean we’re in a relationship with both the tech and vendors?”
Yes, we are in a relationship with the tech we use and simultaneously with the vendors who provide it. As with any relationship, we have expectations around behaviour that are underlined by trust.
Trust in Tech
Everyday thousands of insurance brokers across Canada login to their system, or as is typically the case – systems – to do their work. There is a baseline trust expectation that these systems will simply work, that the features and functionality will behave the way they’re supposed to, that data will be captured and stored the same way it was the day before, and that any new enhancements will improve the experience.
A working product is at the core of the economic exchange: money is traded for a product with the expectation that it works as advertised. It’s task-oriented and feature-driven. Supporting this, 57% of respondents agree that tech adds value to their organization. And 45% of respondents trust their tech.
Our need to trust in the technology we use every day is central to the exchange proposition, to the value we receive from buying it. Trust in tech is foundational; it is a core requirement. Table stakes. Without it, there’s no foundation.
Trust in Vendor
Wrapped around this, however, is the trust we have in our vendor partners who provide the tech we use. Our relationship with vendors envelopes our tech relationship. It’s secondary, yet critical. It encompasses everything about our interactions outside of the actual tech. Sales process. Implementation. Support. Ongoing fees. Escalation. Future product vision and roadmapping.
Why does this matter? For one, this is where the buyer typically lives. They are the ones who engage throughout the buying process. They are the ones who are responsible for shepherding the implementation and change management process. And ultimately they are responsible for deriving the value they were sold. All of these become part of the brand experience.
When decision makers get together, when they bump into each other at conventions or industry events, it’s the brand experience they are going to talk about. How were they treated? Did the implementation process go smoothly and on time? Have they seen the productivity or ROI gains that were promised during the sales process? In short, can the vendor be trusted?
What the index tells us is that broker respondents in Canada may be operating from a position of low trust. Consider these two findings: 23% of respondents feel vendors can be counted on to do what is right. And only 9% of respondents agree vendors have made sacrifices for them in the past.
What do “sacrifices” have to do with economic relationships? Sacrifices are an indicator of partnering behaviour, of a willingness to put the interests of the other before our own. Respondents are saying that they think vendors may act in a self-interested way.
How much does trust matter?
This question is for you, reader. It is a personal question with business implications. Value derived from tech is a future looking proposition. It takes time to realize. It’s not until after the sale, when we’re past implementation, do we really learn the true value of any piece of tech for our business.
Which means that we are always looking for indicators of trust and trustworthiness. Trust in the product. Trust in the productivity or ROI promises. Trust in the implementation timeline. Trust in the product roadmap. We’re looking for a partner to trust.
As one respondent stated, “Real insurtech success isn’t about disruption; it’s about reliability, partnership, and making brokers better at serving clients.”
For the entire Benevolent Insurtech Trust report, visit benevolentmarketing.com/2026-broker-insurtech-trust-index/.
About the Author
Steve Pieroway is principal at Benevolent Marketing, a B2B insurtech marketing consultancy. Steve is a former insurtech executive, having held leadership roles with Policy Works and Applied Systems Cananada, and Trufla. Prior to his insurtech career, Steve wrote a thesis titled “An Identification-Based Relationship Marketing Model.”
About Benevolent Marketing
Benevolent Marketing is a B2B consulting firm that helps tech companies and professional service firms grow their business. Why the name ‘Benevolent’? It is a key component of trust. Experts lean hard on expertise. Customers want to know they aren’t getting taken advantage of. That’s where benevolence comes in. For more information, visit benevolentmarketing.com.
Source: Benevolent Marketing
Tags: Benevolent Marketing, Brokers, InsurTech, protection gap, survey