Insurify was launched last year as a car insurance platform with 20 agencies and several carriers. In its eighth month, it already expanded to 815 agencies and 94 carriers, including agency and direct-response insurers. 

Here are some qualities of the platform:

• Like Uber, the company doesn't employ agents or sell leads or customer data; it is a comparison rating tool that provides agents and companies with customers who choose to buy a specific policy.
  
  
• Customers are given a choice of carriers as a right match for their risk profile—nonstandard, standard or preferred. Once they choose a quote, algorithms link the customer with the best agency that can close the business. Factors such as office hours and telephone response come into play here.
  
  
• Customers are assigned to an agent who has exclusive rights to that customer and owns the business after a sale.
  
  
• Some 90% of Insurify's business is closed with independent agents and carriers.
  
  
• Zacharia isn't a fan of search engine optimization techniques, outlining the complexity of keeping local material prominent in search algorithms. "We have not spent a lot of time on SEO. Most of our time has been focused on machine learning and paid search."
  
  
• Insurify makes money only when business is closed.

 
"Rather than chasing leads that have been shared multiple times, the [Insurify] customer is highly qualified," Zacharia said. "We also have the option of sharing a phone call rather than just a lead. Like, 'I'm at work right now. Can someone call me tomorrow at 2 p.m.?' 

"People are lazy. They don't want to pick up the phone—even on mobile. They would rather click on 'call me now.' We saw an overnight 20% increase in our conversion rate when we added that option."
 

'Mobile-First Generation'

"Mobile isn't a new thing; it's the thing," Zacharia said. Consumers are browsing on their phones not only on the road but also at home. "Most companies see 95% of their growth on mobile. Don't worry about improving desktops." 

She also pointed out Generation Z, which is following the enormous millennial population, will be 40% of the U.S. consumers by 2020. Characteristics include:

• A "mobile-first generation"
  
  
• Eight-second attention span
  
  
• Very educated in terms of searching and analyzing things online and shopping online—33% learn on mobile and 55% shop on mobile
  

 
Zacharia noted, too, that while most companies and agencies are shutting down their offices at 5 p.m., consumers are still searching. The highest spike is the evening at 9 p.m., she said. Some 60% of Insurify's activity is after hours.
 

App Danger

A lot of carriers are still building mobile apps, Zacharia noted. But 79% of people spend their time on only five apps. Only 10% of apps downloaded are used more than once. "So maybe they'll download it, but will they ever use it?" 

Thus, she stated, mobile apps shouldn't be considered as separate platforms. Build them within your existing platforms. Facebook Messenger is where Insurify is placing its bets with a chat bot powered by artificial intelligence that is integrated with millions of public records. "It's as easy as tap-tap-tap, and in two minutes you get your quotes. We use simple language: you are single, you are leasing your car, your car is worth more than $3,000, and you own your own home. Would you like to get a quote?" 

"Social media growth is almost flattening compared with messaging apps that are growing," Zacharia said. "People aren't browsing through Facebook anymore. Everyone is texting, but when Facebook Messenger came out, the volume of texting went down. The majority of those Facebook ads will be coming on mobile. Don't waste your money on Facebook unless you can provide them an experience on mobile and use video." 

Insurify will expand to homeowners in a few months, she says.

FROM THE EDITOR: A copy of Snejina's full Insurify presentation can be found here.