For 45 percent of non-buyers, life insurance is still part of their financial priorities. But, according to a Deloitte survey, one of the main reasons why they don't go ahead and purchase a policy is because no one has offered it to them.
"From our survey it is clear that life insurance is very much on the minds of many consumers," said Rebecca C. Amoroso, vice chairman and U.S. Insurance Leader for Deloitte LLP, who was the survey's executive sponsor. "A significant percentage of respondents have simply not been offered coverage recently; many also noted that they never shop for coverage on their own initiative. Not soliciting their business exacerbates this gap between insurers' interests and consumers' needs."
In its survey – "The Voice of the Life Insurance Consumer" – Deloitte examined how people perceived the value of life insurance, including where coverage ranked among their other financial priorities, as well how consumers preferred to be reached. The survey covered buyers and non-buyers' related beliefs, motivations, influences, priorities and preferences.
The survey also identified some marketing challenges that life insurers face. Among them are consumer confusions about how much coverage they need and whether they can afford it. "A significant number of respondents frankly don't know if they need more insurance – or if they do, they don't know how much they might need to buy," said Sam Friedman, Insurance Leader for Deloitte Research, who led the project."Still others say they want life insurance but cannot afford it – leaving open the question as to whether these cost-conscious prospects might in fact purchase a policy if they realized what the price and value for coverage might actually be."
