‘Web-savvy’ clients click on to several sites, survey finds

Twenty per cent of customers research more than six insurance provider websites when buying insurance and 65% go on to buy online, according to research from Global Reviews, the customer experience benchmarking company.

The company surveyed more than 1,000 customers who had researched their insurance online in the past year.

It found that those wanting cover are increasingly web-savvy, and prepared to spend time comparing providers. Fifty-eight per cent looked at between three and six sites.

Global Reviews independently benchmarked 15 of the leading insurance providers, giving them scores of up to 100% against more than 550 criteria.

The study found that there was only a 3% difference between the scores of the six providers (57 to 60%) at the top of the benchmark which meant they were offering customers a similar online experience.

Halifax, Churchill and Tesco came out top. The remaining providers scored between 45% and 56%.

Global Review director Bertie Stevenson said: “The study found that insurance customers look at a lot of sites before deciding which policy to choose.

“It is therefore very important that providers offer a similar level of customer experience, to ensure that customers choose the best policy, not just the best website. There is a lot that providers can do to improve their customer experience online and ensure they stand out.”