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AUTO INSURANCE BENCHMARK STUDY
Measuring the online experience ofauto insurance companies
Author: Ann RochanayonSr. Director of UX/CX Research at UserZoom
THE UX INSIGHTS COMPANY
2
Contents
Introduction
Study Methodology
Summary
Task Results
Task 1: Open Research
Task 2: Getting a Quote
Overall Findings
Recommendations
Appendix
About UserZoom
3
4
6
10
10
19
24
31
33
37
3
Introduction
The Internet is a common resource for those shopping for auto insurance. An increasing number of consumers gather information about auto insurance online. According to a 2012 McKinsey Research study, 73% use the Internet to gather auto insurance information, an increase from 55% in 20081.
To gain further insight into consumer behavior while researching auto insurance online, UserZoom’s researchers created a competitive benchmark study with the following goals:
1. Determine what sites participants visit to research autoinsurance options.
2. Understand which auto insurance company offers thebest online quote experience.
3. Assess the impact of the online quote process on brandperception, Net Promoter Score and conversion.
2008
2012
55%73%
http://www.mckinsey.com/client_service/financial_services/latest_thinking/insurance,“Winning share and customer loyalty in auto insurance: Insights from McKinsey’s 2012 auto insurance Customer Insights research”
4
Study Methodology
200 participantswere recruited by
email froma panel provider
Sites evaluated:
US participants
N=200 (~50 participants per site)
Between-subjects design
Ages 25+
Must own a vehicle
Participated via. desktop / laptop
Participants were randomly assigned to evaluate one of four auto insurance companies after completing an open research task
Participants were invited from a panel to answer a few questions in the screener survey to ensure they meet the demographic criteria for the study. Qualified participants were taken directly into the study where they’re asked a few market research questions and assigned to perform two tasks. The first was an open task where participants may visit any site to research auto insurance options. For the second task, participants were randomly assigned to one of the four sites to evaluate the auto insurance quote process. Upon completion of the tasks, participants answered a few questions about their overall experience in the wrap-up section.
Research Auto Insurance OptionsStarting from this BLANK WEB PAGE,
research options for auto insurance online. Do not go through the quote process.
Navigate the web as you typically would if you were actually researching auto
insurance in real life.
Customer ServiceObtain an auto insurance quote on the
[COMPANY] site.
Wrap-up
5
Screener
Tasks
Introduction
6
Summary
Open Research TaskSite Specific Findings
7
83% of study participants indicated they typically research auto insurance coverage and pricing online, more than any other method of research. This underscores the importance of having a good web presence, o�ering the information users seek and providing a good online experience.
During the open research task, participants began the process of researching options for auto insurance on a blank page to eliminate any potential bias introduced by a specific start page. The most common types of information participants looked for were auto insurance quotes, rate comparison, and discount information.
Most succeeded in finding the information they were seeking, however, some participants were unable to find information such as a comparison tool or site, independent reviews, and discount information.
Search engines were the most common type of site participants visited first (56%) with Google being the most popular search engine. 60% of search terms used were general, with terms such as “Auto insurance, car insurance” being most frequently used. Participants also searched for specific insurance companies, but in much lower numbers.
Specific insurance sites were the second most common type of site first visited by participants (41%) with GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, and State Farm being the top visited insurance sites. These top four sites correspond with the insurance sites participants were most aware of and also the insurance sites with the highest marketing spend.
Open Research Task
8
Site Speci�c Findings
User Experience Rankings
Progressive edged out Allstate and other auto insurance companies tested in this benchmark in the User Experience Rankings. GEICO had a solid third place ranking, while AAA lagged behind all sites.
To assess the overall user experience of the sites, UserZoom captured over twelve measures of the participant experience while obtaining an online auto insurance quote. The user experience metrics captured include key performance indicators such as task effectiveness, task efficiency, ease of use, trust and conversion. The User Experience Rankings were derived based on how each site performed according to each user experience metric.
Progressive faresthe best in the
User ExperienceRankings
1. 2. 3. 4.
Site Speci�c Findings
Participants rated Progressive highest on several key metrics, including Organization and Layout, Overall Satisfaction and Likelihood to Visit the Site in the Future to Request a Quote.
Allstate rated highest on ease of obtaining a quote and more participants felt the quote process was just the right length and required the right amount of information, although more time was spent obtaining a quote on Allstate than on the other sites.
Participants were most successful on the GEICO site when asked to obtain a quote. GEICO also rated highest on ease of use. However, one of the biggest frustrations with GEICO was the amount of information required and not enough explanation as to why the information is required.
Participants experienced the fewest obstacles while obtaining a quote on Allstate. Allstate also had the highest brand perception (pre and post study) and the greatest increases in associations with positive brand attributes.
Allstate also had the highest Net Promoter Score.
In unaided comments, many participants found the quote process easy and fast. Participants also perceived that Progressive handles privacy and security better than the other sites studied.
AAA was rated the lowest by participants across all key performance metrics (i.e., Ease of Obtaining a Quote, Organization and Layout, Overall Satisfaction, Likelihood to Visit Site in the Future to Request a Quote, and Net Promoter Score). Out of the sites studied, AAA had the lowest brand awareness. Note that AAA also provides a different site experience depending on the participant’s region.
9
Task 1Open Research
Description:Starting from this BLANK WEB PAGE,
research options for auto insurance online. Do not go through the quote
process. Navigate the web as you typically would if you were actually
researching auto insurance in real life.
auto insurance
10
Which of the following type(s) of information did you look for while researching auto insurance options [Check all that apply].
N = 200
Auto insurance quotes
Rate Comparison
Rate discouunt information
How to choose coverage / deductible amounts
Multi policy discount
Determine how much insurance needed
Information about agents
Other
56%
52%
44%
36%
36%
29%
22%
5%
Participants were most interested in looking for auto insurance quotes, rate comparison, and rate discount information.
11
Nearly all participants were successful in researching options for auto insurance online, while 78% found the process easy. Those who had di�culty, primarily were frustrated with the questions required to obtain a quote.
Were you able to research optionsfor auto insurance?
How difficult or easy was it to research optionsfor auto insurance online?
Why was it less than easy to research options for auto insurance online?
Too manyquestions
that I couldn’tanswer
2% 20% 78%
2%
98%
They don’tgive quotes
without all yourinformation
They askso many
questions thatdon’t matter
They want too much personal info up front.I’m not willing to give it all away for fear that they’d
plague me with repeated phone calls or emails or mail
YesNo
very difficult (1-2)Neutral (3-5)Very easy (6-7)
12
Although most found the information they sought, a few had di�culty nding information such as comparison tool or site, independent reviews, and discount information.
“An easy comparison site of all car insurance”
“A third party tool for rate comparison and reviews”
“A place where you compare most major insurances. Or compare other insurers on the site”
“Discounts for good driving record, seat belt use, airbags”
“More information on insurance agents near me that sell insurance from more than one company”
“Multi-insurance – to put my house and auto together”
“Each site almost immediately wanted name, contact and demographic info; not even able to get ranges of costs without providing them personally identifiable info. Makes researching tough without becoming a sales target”
Please list any information you expected to find about auto insurance, but didn’t.
13
First Type of Site Visited
First Search Engine Visited
During the open search task, participants visited just under2 sites and spent 2.61 minutes on average. 59% used asearch engine at anytime during the task.
3% 1%
41%56%
73%
11%
9%
1% 6%
N = 190
N = 107
Open Task Stats
Average Number of Sites Visited
Average Time Spent
Used search at anytime
1.74
2.61 min
59%
56% used a search engine to begin the process of researching auto insurance. Of the search engines �rst visited, Google was the most popular (73%) followed distantly by Bing (11%) and Yahoo! (9%).
Search EngineInsurance SiteInsurance Broker
GoogleBingYahoo
MSNOther
Other
14
First Type of Site Visited
First Insurance Company Site Visited
Search EngineInsurance SiteInsurance Broker
Other GEICOAllstateProgressive
State FarmFarmersLiberty Mutual
MercuryUSAAOther
3% 1%
41%56%
21%16%
13%
27%6%
6%
3%
5%
N = 190
N = 77
3%
Many participants also had a speci�c insurance company in mind when they began their research. 41% started the open research task on an insurance company website. GEICO and Allstate received the most visits from participants beginning their tasks.
15
Percentage Who Visited Insurance SitesANYTIME During the Open Task
GEICO
Progressive
Allstate
State Farm
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
AAA
Esurance
Travelers
USAA
Other
21%
18%
14%
10%
5%
5%
3%
3%
3%
2%
9%
84% of all participants visited an insurance company site at anytime during their open task. GEICO was also the most visited insurance company site overall. 21% visited GEICO at anytime during the course of their research, followed by Progressive (18%), and Allstate (14%).
N = 19016
Search Terms
Insurance quotes, online insurance quotes
Metlife, Metlife auto insurance
Travelers insurance
Farmers, farmers insurance
Hartford, Hartford insurance
Mercury insurance
21st century
Amica
Auto insurance review
Free car insurance quotes online
Rating territory insurance
Shelter insurance
Safeco
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
Search Terms
Auto insurance, car insurance
Auto insurance companies, car insurancecompanies
State farm, state farm car insurance, statefarm quote
Allstate, allstate.com
Geico
Auto insurance quotes, car insurance quotes
Liberty Mutual
Cheap, cheapest auto insurance
Nationwide, nationwide insurance
Progressive, progressive auto insurance
AAA, AAA insurance, AAA.com
Insurance
Car insurance comparison, compare autoinsurance
22%
14%
9%
8%
8%
7%
5%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
3%
N = 190
60% used general search terms to research auto insurance options, while 58% searched for speci�c insurance companies during their research process.
General search terms usedSearched for specific insurance companies
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18
The following video illustrates one of the more common behaviors participants exhibited when asked to research auto insurance options
starting from a blank page.
19
Task 2Getting a Quote
Description:Obtain an auto insurance quote on the
[COMPANY].
When asked to obtain a quote, participants were most successful on the GEICO site and rated GEICO highest on ease of use. Allstate had the second-highest ratings and participants encountered the least number of issues while performing the task.
Site with the highest ratingSite with the lowest rating
Task success: Responded “Yes” when asked, “Were you able to obtain an auto insurance quote on [COMPANY] site?Ease of use: Responded 6-7 on a 7-point scale when asked, “How difficult or easy was it to obtain auto insurance information on this site?” where 1 = Very difficult and 7 = Very easy.Did not encounter issues: Responded “I did not encounter any problems or frustrations” when asked, “Which of the following problems and frustrations, if any, did you encounter while obtaining an auto insurance quote?”
*Significantly lower than site with highest rating at 90% CI
Key Performance Metrics
Task success
Ease of use
Did not encounter issues
62%*
46%*
34%
80%
63%
47%
82%
69%
39%
76%
52%*
42%
20
Key Performance Metrics
Right length of time to obtain quote
Right amount of info required
Time on task (min)
60%
62%
4.65
76%
84%
6.98
67%
61%
4.68
64%
68%
4.45
Although participants spent more time obtaining a quote on Allstate, they felt Allstate required the right amount of information and the quote process took the right amount of time.
Site with the highest ratingSite with the lowest rating
Right length of time to obtain quote: Responded “Just right” when asked “How would you rate the length of time to obtain an auto insurance quote on the GEICO site?”Right amount of info required: Responded “Just right” when asked, “Which of the following describes the amount of information required to obtain a quote on this site?”
*Significantly lower than site with highest rating at 90% CI
21
Participants had more di�culty obtaining a quote on AAA due to a variety of obstacles. AAA participants had more problems determining where to start the quote process and technical issues. Allstate participants encountered the least problems and frustrations.
QuoteProcess
InformationRequired
Scrolling
TecnicalIssue
Unclear where to go to start the quote process
Process of obtaining a quote was confusing
Unsure where I was at in quote process
Too many steps required
Unsure how to move forward with obtaining a quote
Unsure what info was required vs. optional
Too much information was needed
Didn’t understand why certain info was required
Didn’t understand terminology used
Too much scrolling required
Encountered an error / technical issue
Site was slow
Other
I did not encounter any problems or frustrations
16%6%
2%8%
4%2%
6%4%
18%24%
20%26%
16%6%
2%8%
6%10%
6%6%
16%10%
16%16%
16%6%
2%6%
18%16%
22%20%
10%6%
12%8%
12%8%
22%10%
4%0%
8%2%
4%0%
6%4%
12%12%12%
8%
34%47%
39%42%
Problems and Frustrations
AAA Allstate GEICO Progressive
22
23
“I liked that it had options to customize a quote or
get a standard or premium quote.”
“The site asked simple, easy-to-understand
questions in gathering information in how to best
help me get the best coverage I could afford.”
“It was straightforward what to type in where.”
“It was easy to fill out the information. Nothing confusing about it.”
“The process was easy to follow and the questioning unfolded in a logical way.
The webpages were designed well and easy to
read.”
“The process was easy to follow and the layout made
sense in the way it was organized… Also I
appreciate that I could skip enter my social
security number because I do not feel like it is
necessary to reveal this information in order to get
a quote.”
“Most questions were easy to answer without having
your policy in front of you.”
“It looks up discounts and tries to verify your correct
information.”
“It was easy to understand what information they
needed for the quote.”
“I found the forms very easy and self explanatory.”
“First question asked was whether I wanted to
bundle policies to save more; liked that” Did
provide option to explain why each / most questions
were being asked.”
“The site pages were designed well and let me answer the way I wanted. They made suggestions or gave me options. I thought it was a very well thought
out process and the quote was a decent amount.”
“Could use name my price. Gave comparisons.
Easy, quick.”
What did users like?
24
Overal Findings
Study participants found the Allstate easiest to use to obtain a quote, signi�cantly easier than AAA, the lowest rated site across all key performance metrics. There were no other meaningful di�erences in other key performance metrics.
Progressive rated highest on Organization and Layout, Overall Satisfaction and on Likelihood to Visit to Request a Quote in the Future.
Key Performance Metrics
Ease of obtaining a quote
Organization and layout
Overall satisfaction
Likelihood to visit to request a quotein the future
42%*
56%
50%
34%
65%
63%
57%
43%
61%
59%
55%
39%
54%
66%
60%
50%
*Significantly lower than site with highest rating at 90% CI
Site with the highest ratingSite with the lowest rating
Ease of obtaining a quote, Organization and layout, and Satisfaction: Responded 6-7 on a 7-point scale when asked, “Please rate the [COMPANY] site on the following” where 1 = Negative and 7 = PositiveLikelihood to visit to request a quote in the future: Responded 6-7 on a 7-point scale when asked, “How likely would you be to visit the [COMPANY] site to request a quote in the future?” where 1 = Not at all likely and 7=Extremely likely
25
Participants also rated Progressive highest in terms of privacy, security, and handling personal information compared to other sites. Progressive provides reassurance to users about privacy and security in several places during the quote process.
Based on your experience with the site today, please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Privacy and Trust
The site seems to handle privacyand security well
I would trust this company with mypersonal information
54%
44%
51%
57%
48%*
44%
66%
58%
*Significantly lower than site with highest rating at 90% CI
Site with the highest ratingSite with the lowest rating
26
Brand perception slightly decreased for all sites after interacting with the sites to obtain a quote. The drops were not signi�cant.
Participants had a better impression of the Allstate site both pre and post-study with brand perception ratings signi�cantly higher than all sites.
Pre vs. Post Brand Perception
Based on what you know / your experience today, please rate your perception of [COMPANY].
PrePost
56%
46%
73%
63%
52%*
45%*
55%*
48%
AAA Allstate GEICO Progressive
N=
39
N=
50
N=
49
N=
51
N=
46
N=
49
N=
47
N=
50
Site Delta
AAA
Allstate
GEICO
Progressive
-10%
-10%
-7%
-7%
*Significantly lower than site with highest rating at 90% CI
Responses of 6-7 shown from a 7-point scale where 1 = Negative and 7=Positive27
In addition to having the best perceived brand perception, Allstate also had the highest Net Promoter Score with more site promoters than detractors.
How likely is it that you would recommend the [COMPANY] website to a friend or a colleague?
AAA
Allstate
GEICO
Progressive
-34%
4%
-22%
-8%
Detractors (0 -6)Passivees (7-8)Promoters (9-10)
24%18%58%
35%33%31%
24%28%47%
36%20%44%
NPS
28
29
Allstate also had the most increases in positive brand attributes associated with the company. GEICO and Progressive saw a few increases as well.
Change in Associated Positive Brand Attributes Pre vs. Post Site Evaluation
Which of the following words or phrases would you use to describe [COMPANY]?
Innovative
Comprehensive
Trustworthy
Dependable
Established
Customer-oriented
Convenient
Helpful
Easy
Accessible
Value
Inexpensive
16%-8%
-10%2%
-16%-26%
-4%0%
0%0%
9%0%
-6%-6%-6%
0%
-14%-16%
-19%-3%
-26%-22%
-6%-11%
-12%17%
2%-3%
-9%-6%
-4%0%
-14%8%
-9%-1%
-11%-2%
-4%-18%
-3%21%
4%8%
7%12%
-2%-5%
AAAAllstate
GEICOProgressive
30
After interacting with the site, more participants perceived Allstate, AAA, and Progressive as ‘untrustworthy’ and more participants perceived Progressive as ‘expensive’.
Meanwhile, associations with ‘untrustworthy’ and ‘expensive’ decreased for GEICO.
Change in Associated Negative Brand Attributes Pre vs. Post Site Evaluation
Untrustworthy
Expensive
6%8%
-1%4%
-4%10%
-7%8%
Which of the following words or phrases would you use to describe [COMPANY]?
AAAAllstate
GEICOProgressive
31
Recommendations
1. Ensure that the site is optimized for common search terms users utilize when searching for auto insurance.
2. Consider paid search ads with Google and possibly Yahoo! and Bing.
3. Reassure users that their privacy is protected and their information is secure.Obtain certification from trusted third parties and use the privacy and security seal / logo during the quote process to help visually illustrate the site is secure.
Provide visible and easy access to the privacy policy link throughout the entire quote process.
3. If information about the user is being pulled from other sources to generate a quote, clearly disclose this. Allow users the opportunity to edit this information if needed.
4. Provide clear visual indicators of where users are during the quote process.
5. Provide easy access to further information / explanation as to why information is needed.
6. Include links to explanations to industry terms (e.g., types of coverage) that users may not understand.
7. Clearly indicate which information is required to proceed with the quote process.
8. If there is an error in the quote process, explain what the error is and how to fix it. The error should be marked inline. Ideally take users directly to the error.
9. Provide guidance on how to fill out quote (e.g., format for date of birth).
10. Allow certain types of information to be optional, but explain why providing the information would be useful (e.g., Social Security Number, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)).
11. Assist users in finding discount opportunities.
32
33
Appendix
How do you typically research auto insurance coverage and pricing? [Check all that apply]
A majority of participants typically research auto insurance coverage and pricing online, more than any other method.
Research Online
Discuss with an insurance agent
Discuss with friends / family
Review Information I receive through the mail
Email an insurance company
I have never researched auto insurance
Other
83%
55%
43%
37%
22%
37%
22%
34
GEICO had the highest level of brand awareness, followed closely by Allstate, Progressive, State Farm, and Farmers. These four companies also have the highest marketing spend.
Which of the following auto insurance companies have you heard of? [Check all that apply]
GEICO
Allstate
Progressive
State Farm
Farmers
Nationwide
Liberty Mutual
AAA
MetLife
Travelers
21st Century
The Hartford
USAA
Mercury
Other
None of the above
Sites evaluated in the UserZoom benchmarking study
95%
94%
94%
93%
91%
87%
80%
79%
76%
70%
61%
60%
57%
23%
7%
1%N = 200
http://www.mckinsey.com/client_service/financial_services/latest_thinking/insurance,“Winning share and customer loyalty in auto insurance: Insights from McKinsey’s 2012 auto insurance Customer Insights research”
35
A shorter quote process with a less accurate quote, but less information requiredA longer quote process with a more accurate quote, but more information required
If you were planning to switch auto insurance, which of the following would you prefer when seeking auto insurance quotes?
Participants were divided when asked if they preferred a shorter
quote process that is less accurate or a longer quote process with a
more accurate quote.
49%51%
36
37
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THE UX INSIGHTS COMPANY
www.userzoom.com
London (UK)
Thomas House,
84 Eccleston Square
London, SW1VPXPhone: 0203 948 1360
Manchester (UK)
4-6 Bank Square Wilmslow,Cheshire SK9 1ANPhone: + 44 (0) 1625 525 650
San Jose, CA (USA)
10 Almaden Blvd #250,San Jose, CA 95113Phone: 866-599-1550
Denver, CO (USA)
1630 Welton Street #500CDenver, CO 80202
München (DE)
Kronstadterstrasse 4,81677 MünchenPhone: +49 (0)89 45 35 35 25
Madrid (Spain)
C/ O’Donnell 12, 2ª planta, 28009, MadridPhone: +(34) 91 111 48 82
Barcelona (Spain)
Av. Diagonal, 618 3ºDE08021 BarcelonaPhone: +34 93 414 7554