Benefits of Insurance Aggregators

Finding a cost-effective insurance policy is among the most hectic tasks. Well, this was until the rise of the new, improved internet technology. The reliable internet connection has revolutionized the industry, with most people accessing online insurance. The only concern now is how to choose the ideal insurance policy among the several. That is where insurance aggregators come in. 

What is an Insurance Aggregator Site?

An insurance aggregator site refers to a website that contains information from different insurance companies. Most people tend to spend time and money to contact various insurance brokers. However, the aggregator site avails all the information at a single point for your convenience.

Who are Aggregators?

Aggregators are the people who source insurance quotes from different insurers. They list all the information on the insurance aggregator site. The site then provides a form where you fill your specifications to come up with the quote. They save you the time that you would have otherwise used to visit various insurers or talking to different brokers. 

How Does Insurance Aggregators Work? 

One of the main concerns that come with using aggregators is accuracy. For instance, there are cases of people finding different prices offered at purchase as compared to the one on the aggregator. Even though there is a little window of error, most aggregators' information is factual. They update all the systems regularly to match any changes in insurers' policies.

The only concern comes when you key inaccurate information when filling the quote form. You might also find it different when comparing dissimilar policies. The reliance on the data from the aggregators means that insurers are willing to use them as a reliable source of leads.

The Developmental Stages of Aggregators

Even though they start as price comparison sites, insurance aggregators tend to experience sustained growth over a period. Earlier on, they offer necessary price comparisons among the different insurance providers. At this point, the aggregators rely on ads and listings to attract site visitors. 

The second phase of the growth of aggregators involves lead-generation. After attracting traffic through sales comparison, aggregators direct them to brokers. With time, aggregators eliminate brokers by offering similar services, and as such, acting as the broker comes with higher commissions. 

An aggregator matures by becoming the service provider. Having interacted with the client and several providers, they are in a position to notice gaps in the market. They look to seal all the loopholes that come with the existing insurers making them a hit among clients. 

Most insurers understand this aggregator growth process. Instead of fighting a losing war, they either seek to cooperate with the aggregators, buy them out, or start their aggregators. An insurer might fail to work with aggregators and succeed when working with a strong brand. The insurer invests in expanding the customer base and providing excellent services at affordable rates. 

Challenges Faced by Aggregators 

While it might seem that insurance aggregators have it easy, they also have several challenges. One of the significant challenges is the cost of customer acquisition. Most aggregators rely on ads and listings for initial site visits. They incur a lot in both traditional and online advertisements. 

The other concern with aggregators is the reliance on insurance regulatory policies. Any changes in the system affect how they operate and can also drive them out of business. For example, the changes in access to data regulations mean they have access to lesser data, translating to low sales.

Aggregators also face stiff competition throughout their growth stages. They compete with other aggregator sites, brokers, insurers, and other service providers. Ultimately, the only way to survive is to monitor the market and evolve with customer needs.  

What Is an Agency Aggregator?

There are times when the aggregator challenges are overwhelming. They can get to a point where they don't attract any new insurers and traffic leading to failure to meet targets. To avoid these issues, different aggregators come together to form an agency aggregator. 

An agency aggregator is a formal grouping of aggregators for mutual support. The aggregators coming together helps in economies of scale that reduce operational costs with access to broader markets. The more vibrant agency aggregator becomes, they gain more access to insurers for more profit.

Other roles an agency aggregator plays include; specialized training, finding negotiated benefits, and covering the insurance errors and omissions. 

What are the Different Types of Insurance Agents?

When buying an insurance policy, you are most likely to interact with an agent, rather than the insurer. There are two main types of insurance agents; captive and independent agents.

Captive agents sell the insurance policies of a single insurance company. They identify with that only brand and will have it on their office buildings and merchandise. The captive agents are also likely to advertise more. The primary concern with captive agents is those who run less competitive brands tend to make less income. Changes in the mother company or even leaving the country affects the agent.

Independent agents, on the other hand, deal with several insurers. They do not work on behalf of any company. The significant benefit that comes with independent insurance agents is flexibility. The different policies mean that you can get a cover that fits your needs. You can also change your strategies depending on your changing needs.

The freedom of the independent insurance agent allows them to join other associations and work as agency aggregator. The agent still retains their independence even after becoming part of the agency. They also maintain the option to work from their chosen place, set their operational policies, and negotiate commissions with the insurer.

Some of the factors to an independent agent should consider before joining an aggregator agency include; 

• Benefits Accrued 

An independent agent should only join an agency aggregator when sure it comes with benefits. Some of these benefits include access to several carriers, higher commissions, business, and top-notch management software. The agency should also offer possible mergers and cooperation with other business partners. 

• Costs

Before joining an agency, understand the actual price of what it means as part of them. Make sure you are comfortable paying the startup, monthly, maintenance, and exit fees. These fees vary depending on how much the cluster encourages entry and exit. 

• Clout with insurance providers 

The main reason to join an agency is access to multiple insurance providers. Before you enter the agency, understand the relationship they have with the different insurance providers. Read and understand the insurance cluster agreement before becoming a member. 

• Group Attrition 

Before you join an agency, consider how often members leave and its effects on the remaining parties. Join a stable group that does not experience cases of members leaving often. One agent leaving can be destructive as you have to start updating books and compensate for the lost income.

Conclusion 

Insurance aggregators are one of the most disruptive inventions in the industry. Its success has seen most insurance companies willing to work with them or start their own. Even though at some time they seemed a threat, aggregators and insurers can work together and prosper. The insurers who don't want to work with aggregators must have a big brand name and must stay ready to spend more on marketing.

Learn more about PolicyScout and how we can help match you with the right insurance.