Broker transfer: what the July 2025 reform means for your practice
Since July 2025, a single form is all it takes to switch brokers. Here is what this means for your practice and how to retain your policyholders.
Since 1 July 2025, the system for changing insurance intermediaries in Belgium has been completely overhauled. Assuralia, Feprabel, BZB-Fedafin and Becobra established a new framework, stemming from the law of 9 October 2023 simplifying cancellation rules. The process has become much smoother for clients. And therefore more demanding for brokers.
One form, one transfer
The client signs an intermediary change notice. A single document, available in four languages (French, Dutch, German, English). The insurance contract remains identical: same coverage, same conditions, same policy number. Only the management transfers to the new broker.
The transfer is immediate. As soon as the insurer receives the notice, management is transferred to the new broker, including ongoing claims. The client has no further steps to take.
Commission follows. In non-life insurance, if the change notice is sent two months (for statutory tacit renewal) or three months before the main policy renewal date, the right to commission is transferred to the new broker. The outgoing broker loses both the contract management and the associated remuneration.
The notice goes to the insurer, not to you
This is a point many brokers discover late: the change notice is addressed directly to the insurer. You are only informed afterwards. By the time you learn of a client's departure, the decision has already been made and the transfer is underway.
Why some practices keep their clients
Administrative complexity no longer protects your portfolio. The brokers who retain their policyholders are those who maintain regular contact with them. A message at every renewal. A quarterly newsletter with useful content. An annual review of coverage. The client who feels monitored and advised does not fill in that form.
Conversely, the client who has not heard from their broker in two years is the ideal candidate for a switch. A conversation with a competitor, a recommendation from a friend, or targeted outreach is all it takes for the form to be signed.
How to act concretely
Three levers help reduce the risk of policyholder departure.
Proactive follow-up. Contact your clients at least once a year, outside of claims and renewals. A check-in about changes in their situation (relocation, new child, property purchase) shows you are actively managing their file.
Regular content. A quarterly article, a seasonal email with practical tips, a regulatory reminder. The client who receives useful content perceives the value of their broker.
Satisfaction measurement. Knowing what your clients think of your service, before they express it on Google or to the Ombudsman, is the best safeguard against silent departure. Tools like Satisfact.io allow you to automate satisfaction surveys after every key interaction and detect weak signals before they turn into actual losses.
