While the US insurance industry is projected to spend over $14 billion on digital ads in 2026 according to eMarketer, the most valuable conversions often happen over the phone—not on landing pages.
The phone call paradox: highest cost, highest value
Insurance keywords rank among the most expensive in Google Ads and Bing Ads, with some costing $50 or more per click, according to WordStream data. Yet despite the comparatively high cost, phone calls deliver disproportionate returns: they convert to 10-15x more revenue than web leads, and callers convert 30% faster with 28% higher retention rates, per BIA/Kelsey and Forrester research.
"The phone call is the preferred channel for insurance customers to convert—it ranks higher than online and in-person," said Kirk Brunson, co-founder of 1-800-INSURANCE, citing Invoca research. "Our platform routes these high-intent callers directly to independent agencies without the $50-per-click ad cost."
Shoppers research online but buy over the phone
The data reveals a consistent pattern: 74% of consumers research insurance purchases online, but only 25% end up making a purchase online, according to J.D. Power. The gap between research and purchase creates an opportunity for agencies equipped to handle inbound calls.
"Seventy-eight percent of insurance consumers call a business after running a search," Brunson noted, citing LSA data. "When shoppers dial 1-800-INSURANCE, we match them to local agencies with the expertise and binding authority to quote immediately."
Customer experience drives retention and profitability
The quality of the call experience directly impacts both conversion and long-term value. According to xAd research, 62% of insurance buyers said talking with a representative on the phone was the most influential factor in their decision.
Poor call experiences carry steep costs: 38% of consumers will stop doing business with a company if they have a bad call experience, per Invoca data, and 65% of consumers have cut ties with a brand over a single poor customer service experience, according to Digiday research.
In contrast, carriers that provide consistently best-in-class experiences have generated 2-4x more growth in new business and 30% higher profitability than firms with inconsistent customer focus, per McKinsey research.
Personalization meets compliance
As 88% of insurance customers demand more personalization from providers, according to Accenture data, agencies face pressure to deliver tailored experiences while maintaining compliance. 1-800-INSURANCE addresses this by pre-qualifying callers with scripted intake questions before routing, ensuring agencies receive context-rich conversations.
"We ask about location, coverage needs, and timeline to bind before introducing the agency by name," Brunson explained. "Producers pick up knowing exactly what the caller needs and why we routed them. That context builds trust before the conversation even starts."
Independent agencies can learn more about exclusive call routing and territory reservation at join1800insurance.com.