Zurich Municipal – the direct arm of the global giant’s UK operation – has dropped an anti-broking advertisement from a magazine following an outcry from the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA).

BIBA CEO Eric Galbraith says that instead of promoting good professional independent advice available from brokers, the advertisement has an “unhealthy focus on price instead of adequate protection”.

The advertisement urges customers to “cut out the middleman”.

Similar advertisements have been run in the past in Australia by insurers with mixed distribution channels, causing similar complaints from brokers.

Zurich UK hastily withdrew the ad. A spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au that on reflection the wording used in the ad “was poor”.