YouGov data shows that nearly half of Americans (46%) say they intend to purchase at least one type of insurance over the next 12 months.
YouGov Profiles data uncovers the factors Americans involved in the insurance-buying process consider important when choosing a provider – and where they turn when researching their options.
Price, coverage and service are the leading influencers of insurance provider choice
Among Americans involved in the insurance buying process, low prices or premiums are the most widely cited consideration when choosing an insurance provider (70%) with making sure they have coverage that meets their needs following (59%).
Customer service also ranks less highly, with just over half (53%) saying excellent service is important, about the same amount who cite coverage limits and deductibles (50%).
The data also finds that similar proportions say suitable payment options (45%), fast and easy claims process (44%) and brand reputation and trustworthiness (43%) are important.
Older consumers place greater emphasis on several traditional insurance factors
YouGov’s analysis finds that price is the leading consideration across all generations involved in the insurance-buying process, however, its importance increases with age. While 55% of Gen Z consumers say low prices or premiums matter when choosing a provider, the share rises successively among Millennials (67%), Gen Xers (73%) and Baby Boomers (74%).
A similar pattern is shown across the generations with older consumers being more likely than younger ones to think a range of factors matter when buying insurance.
When it comes to having coverage options that meet their needs, Baby Boomers (67%) are far more likely than people in Gen Z (46%) to think it is important, with similar results for excellent customer service (65% vs. 42%) and coverage limits and deductibles (58% vs. 35%).
Past experience also becomes more prominent among older consumers. While 45% of Baby Boomers say a previous positive experience with a provider is important, this falls to 26% of Gen Z (though this may be because they have fewer experiences to draw on).
Friends and family remain a major source of insurance research
YouGov’s data highlights that when consumers begin researching insurers, recommendations from those they trust are highly influential.
Friends and family (38%) are the most commonly cited research source, narrowly ahead of price comparison websites (37%). Around three in ten use insurer or broker websites (32%) or call or visit an insurance agent or broker (31%), while a quarter (24%) use review websites.
However, the analysis finds that research journeys vary by generation.
While more than half of Gen Z consumers involved in insurance buying (53%) turn to friends and family, the figure falls to just a third of Baby Boomers (33%). Using social media for research is also much more prominent among younger generations (25% of Gen Z and 15% of Millennials compared to 9% of Gen X and 7% of Boomers).
Older consumers lean more heavily toward direct human interaction. Four in ten Baby Boomers (40%) call or visit an insurance agent or broker when researching providers, compared with 23% of both Gen Z and Millennials.
Insurance decisions span both digital and personal touchpoints
Insurance research spans both digital and personal channels, but the mix varies by generation. Younger consumers lean more on friends, family and social media, while older consumers are more likely to turn to agents and brokers.
For insurers, that means reaching consumers in the right places while competing on the fundamentals: price, coverage and service.
Methodology: YouGov Profiles data is based on U.S. adults and covers the period from August 2025 to August 2026. Respondents were categorized according to whether they tend to shop for clothes and shoes all or mostly online, about evenly online and offline, or all or mostly offline. Figures in the article are rounded to the nearest whole percentage point.
