Feeding back terms

[Aspire]

Hi all, been a while since my last post. Have really been busy which is no bad thing.

I have an issue which is causing me to tear my hair out.

In a nut shell, i am a commercial insurance broker. When i give a client a quotation which is way under their target and within deadline etc, they hand it to their existing company who reduces to match my premium.

I have lost count of the amount of times this has happened, basically im doing what they wanted when they wanted.

Things i have tried to do combat this:-

1. Being up front with the clients in the first place advising them that their brokers will reduce to match. Clients say "oh no thats terrible" then do it anyway.
2. Trying to pre-close by saying to clients if i can do it for this price by this date with this cover are you happy to become a client?...same again
3. I cant with hold my underwriter as this would be against contract certainty with FSA.
4. Making a big deal in my marketing literature about best terms first time from us.
5. I have also tried the how can you trust a company that could have done it for x amount and chose to charge you more. However bolting the door after the horse has bolted.

I have spoken to someone else in the trade who has advised me im leaving myself open by being too straight and i should give a higher figure first as an indication, then when they match that reduce my terms. That just smacks of unprofessional to me.

Should i be more strategic in my approach?, or should i play the long game? and accept that each year this happens the client moves closer to my door.

As a final note i am not talking about small savings here as that i can understand im talkng 30% margins.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.