Young Insurance Customers Demand Digital & Personal: The Rise of Online Broker Advice

You are the most sought-after customer in the insurance industry. Why? Because securing your business today often means building a relationship that lasts for decades. Insurers are acutely aware of this, with many now promoting themselves as "lifetime partners" and developing sophisticated "life cycle" campaigns aimed at perfecting the customer experience. But here's the critical question: Do these efforts actually resonate with you, the young adult and future long-term client?

New data provides a clear and surprising answer. The 2022 "Target Group Concepts" focus report from the *Kundenmonitor Assekuranz*, conducted by Sirius Campus GmbH in cooperation with Aeiforia GmbH, delves into the preferences of younger demographics. The findings reveal a pivotal shift in how you want to interact with your insurance provider, challenging the old dichotomy of purely online vs. purely in-person service.

The Growing Appetite for Guidance: Advice is Back in Style

One of the most significant trends uncovered is your increased desire for regular insurance advice. Compared to 2019—the pre-pandemic era—this need has grown substantially.

• For decision-makers and co-decision-makers aged 18-30, 56% now consider regular advice important, a sharp rise from just 40% three years ago.
• This trend isn't limited to the young; across all adults aged 18-69, the importance of regular advice has grown from 50% to 58%.

This signals a move away from the purely transactional, self-service model. You recognize the complexity of insurance products—from navigating Germany's PKV (private health insurance) and GKV (statutory health insurance) system to understanding the nuances of US private health insurance vs. Medicare—and value expert guidance to make informed choices.

The Hybrid Model Winner: Online Broker Consultations

While the desire for advice is up, the preferred format for that advice has evolved dramatically. The report highlights an explosive demand for a specific service: online consultations with an insurance broker or agent.

This means receiving personalized advice via video call on platforms like Teams, Zoom, or even WhatsApp. The growth here is staggering:

• Across the entire market, preference for this format jumped from 32% in 2019 to 46% in 2022.
• Among you, the 18-30 year old cohort, the demand is overwhelming: 71% now want online advice from their broker. This represents a massive 28-percentage-point increase since 2019.

This data shatters a common industry assumption. It's not a choice between a fully digital, faceless online purchase and a traditional in-office meeting. You are explicitly choosing a hybrid model that combines the digital convenience you expect with the trusted, personal expertise of a professional advisor.

What This Means for the Future of Insurance Sales

For insurance companies and brokers, this is a clear mandate. To attract and retain you, the lucrative young customer, they must master a dual approach:

1. Embrace Technology as a Conduit, Not a Replacement: The winning strategy uses digital tools to facilitate deeper human connection, not avoid it. Seamless video integration, easy document sharing, and digital signature capabilities are now table stakes for a modern advisory practice.
2. Re-train and Equip Advisors: Brokers must become proficient not just in insurance products, but in delivering engaging, clear, and trustworthy consultations through a screen. Their "digital bedside manner" is crucial.
3. Market the Hybrid Experience: Insurers and agencies should actively promote their ability to provide flexible, on-demand video advice. This meets your demand for efficiency without sacrificing the confidence that comes from a face-to-face conversation with an expert.

In essence, you are asking for the best of both worlds: the speed and accessibility of an online insurance quote process, coupled with the reassurance and customization of a personal insurance consultation. The companies that can successfully deliver this integrated customer experience will be the ones that build those coveted lifelong relationships.

Insurers and brokers struggle in claims management with high backlogs, increasing claim frequencies, a shortage of skilled workers, and growing customer expectations. Manual processes are expensive and slow.