Auto Insurance: Consumer Segments

• According to auto insurance research conducted by McKinsey, there are nine high-level auto insurance buyer segments. The segmentation of the buyers is based on customer needs and behavior.
• The nine segments include;
•  Independent advice-seekers: This category of buyers prefer the advice of a local agent representing multiple carriers, and they tend to follow the advice of agents. They are not price-sensitive.
•  Undisolveds: The uninvolved category is primarily defined by their lack of preference and shows no concerns towards auto insurance. They do not desire advice, convenience, or brand.
•  Low-price experts: The low-price experts make decisions based on the ability to get the lowest price, and they are willing to reduce coverage and compromise on brand and convenience.
•  Active shoppers: The active shoppers promptly research their options, desire information, and advice, and tend to shop frequently. They are said to be 50%+ conscious about price and make tradeoffs between insurance coverages.
•  Self servicers: They put convenience first and expect multichannel access. They also do not value having an agent, and their propensity to shop and price sensitivity is above-average.
•  Price-conscious advice hunters: This category of buyers is less loyal, wants personalized advice, has a 31% shopping tendency, and is low-cost-biased towards stronger brands.
•  High-touch protection seekers: This category of consumers is in search of extra protection and tailored coverage options. They also desire a strong brand, want multichannel convenience, and are willing to pay for expectations.
•  Affinity-oriented brand buyers: This type of consumer wants a strong, well-known, and established brands and are not interested in any intimacy with a local agent. They also do not desire to research options or actively shop/switch.
•  Branded agent loyalists: This category wants both a local agent and a strong brand and is biased about the exclusive agent channel. They are known to be loyalists, with 70% of them staying more than ten years giving then the lowest reported shopping and switching rates.