More than 80 percent of policyholders would prefer to communicate with their insurance company or agent via text, according to a new survey from communication platform Hi Marley. And the vast majority (84 percent) even said they would save an insurance company’s text number into their contact lists.

If given a choice, 71 percent of people who already do business with a company would prefer text as their primary means of communication. However, respondents said companies they do not already have a relationship with should not initiate contact via text message, with the majority (57 percent) preferring the first interaction to happen through email.

Respondents in favor of texting with their insurers were also open to group chats with other providers within the insurance ecosystem, such as rental and towing companies, auto and home repair businesses, glass replacement shops, and medical providers.

The survey found that age doesn’t seem to be a factor, as older customers also want to use text messaging as a means of communications. In fact, 72 percent of those respondents over 54 indicated they prefer to text with businesses, and more than 50 percent in that cohort would participate in group chats.

Why the preference for text? The top answers were “speed of response” (32 percent) and 24/7 availability (18 percent).

While cost and coverage were chosen as the most important factors for purchasing an insurance policy, nearly 20 percent of respondents ranked customer service and personal touch as more important.

Hi Marley did a randomized sampling of 1,000 consumers aged 18 and up from across the United States and Canada for the survey, which was conducted in June 2021.

Source: Hi Marley