Google Compare Auto Insurance Launches in California

As reported earlier in FLPIPGuide.com, recent rumors about Google entering the U.S. auto insurance market have proven to be true as the tech giant recently announced its launch of Google Compare Auto Insurance in California. A roll-out in more states is planned.

According to a recent article in Insurance Journal, Google calls its online price-comparison service a “seamless, intuitive experience for connecting with your customers online.”

A company-issued news release said, “Whether you’re a national insurance provider or one local to California, people searching for car insurance on their phone or computer can find you along with an apples-to-apples comparison of other providers all in as little as 5 minutes.”

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company indicates that participation in Google Compare is based on a flexible cost-per-acquisition model.  Payment is not a factor in ranking or eligibility, according to Google.

The Google Compare Auto Insurance portal is user-friendly, and lists a variety of carriers, including Mercury and MetLife, who are partners in the project. Californians simply enter their zip code to bring up a form that asks for basic information such as name and date of birth. There is also a “speed things up” autofill feature, especially convenient to those on Google’s Chrome browser. Visitors to the site are self-directed through screens, eventually resulting in quotes for auto insurance.

Google Compare Auto Insurance Services Inc. has been licensed to sell insurance in at least 26 states and could reportedly be working with CoverHound, which currently offers online quotes for multiple insurers including Hartford, esurance, 21st Century, Travelers, Safeco, National General, Progressive, Foremost, Plymouth Rock and others, Insurance Journal said.

The company intends to introduce ratings and reviews, as well as local agent support for providers with agent networks.

Google’s entry into the insurance market, along with its role in building autonomous vehicles, could make it a dominant player in the field. William R. Berkley, CEO of W.R. Berkley Corp., revealed in a management seminar presentation to independent agents in January that “Google has the capacity to change auto insurance” because of the competitive advantage it gained when the company invested a significant amount of money to “actively build a rule-road map of America.”

An article in TechCrunch reported that several major insurance carriers may be taking a wait-and-see approach, however.