Building relationships. It's not every insurer's policy.

You may think it a little harsh to call direct insurers 'anonymous' but If you think about it, you'll realise that it's pretty accurate. Whether an operator's name is Tim or Thabo, it may as well be 'anonymous' because it changes every time you call to talk about your policy or lodge a claim. If only there were a way to get on a first-name basis with your insurer? There is. It's here.

We get it - you want your insurer to see you as a person not a piggy bank. You want to feel understood, valued and appreciated - all the things that come with a good relationship. You can't expect someone who's meeting you for the first time (the standard issue call centre interaction) to know you or to understand your needs. Add to that the fact that they're not incentivised to listen, they're incentivised to sell, and any expectation of a relationship with a direct insurer is unrealistic.

Right, that's the bad news. The good news is that you can have a rewarding relationship with insurance. Two words - insurance broker. A broker's goal is to keep you as a client for as long as possible. They're not in it to make a quick buck, they're in it for the long haul. The only way they can achieve this is by keeping you happy, which involves three things: building a relationship with you, gaining a thorough understanding of you and developing trust - the most important element in any relationship.

Insurance brokers work to a principle of utmost good faith, putting your interests first, before those of the insurance company. They're one of your key advisors, along with your accountant, lawyer and banker. Just as with your other key advisors, you'll get the best advice and service if you develop a relationship with your insurance broker.

The bottom line? You wouldn't task a babysitter you'd never met with looking after your children and you definitely wouldn't jump out of a plane for the first time without a trusted skydiving instructor strapped to your back.

So, don't settle for 'anonymous' insurance, put your insurance needs on a first-name basis with an insurance broker who is committed to protecting your family, your possessions and your business.

Because, after all, life's too short for bad relationships.