Car Insurance Aggregators - Food for Thought

First, we ran the news of the latest report on UK motor insurance aggregators, published by Defaqto:

The report has analysed 41 aggregator sites including new entrants into the market and changes that may have occurred to other sites since its first report in October 2007. Defaqto has carried out a detailed analysis of the market and this report includes:

• A review of the aggregator market and where Defaqto believes it is headed.
• One page summaries of the key features and benefits of 41 aggregators including ComparetheMarket, Confused.com, GoCompare, Insurance.co.uk, Moneysupermarket and Tesco Compare.
• A Defaqto rating of each aggregator website.
• A review of the resurgence of intermediaries within the aggregator market.

Second, we note with interest that LV= has placed its car insurance product on the Gocompare.com website.

The insurer has announced ambitious growth plans for its general insurance business focused on becoming a top five general insurer by 2012 with the web a key channel to achieving this target. LV= believes their five star Defaqto rated car insurance policy will prove to be a popular choice for consumers using Gocompare.com.

Gocompare.com are no doubt delighted to be welcoming the valuable LV= brand to their roster of high profile insurers. The company makes a point of promoting its aim to offer the customer the widest possible coverage across the market with well over 60 car insurers onboard.

Mmm….. Food for thought?

Whilst the current vogue for insurance aggregators cannot be doubted, one has to wonder whether:-

1. Are the aggregators building any real value for ‘their brands’. It’s great to have thousands of online consumers coming to your site to buy another firms product! However, what happens to the Gocompare.com, MoneySupermarket or BeatThatQuote.com of the online world when the fickle consumer discovers another route to the ‘best value deal’? Are these three leading aggregators (amongst others) building any real loyalty for ‘their brand’?

2. Apart from a potential short term gain in revenue and market share for LV=, what are the long term implications of handing over a much loved, cared for and nurtured brand to a ‘price comparison’ custodian such as Gocompare.com?

We welcome any thoughts and comments from our readers on the subject of the online insurance aggregator!