A new survey finds that while most homeowners had good things to say about their insurance agent, many feel that the agents could do more than just be “passive” retailers.

The “Q3 2018 ValueInsured Modern Homebuyer Survey” by ValueInsured found that more than half of the respondents praised their insurance agent; 27% of the respondents spoke positively of their agents, while another 25% consider their homeowners’ insurance agent a “trusted adviser.”

On the other hand, 22% of the respondents described their insurance agent as a one-time transactional “middleman.” Another 20% were less polite, calling their agent a “pencil pusher” and someone they never hear from except during policy renewal time.

Only 5% said they have no opinion or familiarity with their insurance agent.

ValueInsured also asked the survey’s participants if their homeowners’ insurance agent exhibited other positive traits. Some 21% reported their agent to be “innovative,” while 14% agreed that their agent was “resourceful.”

Although the survey found that homeowners do not tend to view their agents in a negative light, it does suggest that many perceive insurance agents as passive – which may have led to their image as paper pushers and transactional middlemen, ValueInsured said in a release on the survey. The down payment protection provider added that homeowners wish that their agent “could be more proactive, more consultative, and could do more to protect them.”

“Currently, the relationship is not an engaging or high-touch one, which could lead to high turnover rate,” ValueInsured noted.