We’re living in the selfie generation. Whether we’re posting a sun-kissed snap from our latest vacation on Facebook or trawling through the Kardashian sisters’ incessant Instagram feeds – we just love selfies.
Tech wizards worldwide have taken note of this trend. The latest Apple phone, the iPhoneX, uses facial recognition technology (aka, a selfie) in its unlocking system, and the tech has also been integrated into some of the latest smart home gadgets.
So how about using selfies in the insurance industry?
Consumer demand for self-service capabilities is no longer a futuristic concept. Insureds want to be in control of their time and money, and the insurance industry needs to level with them. In response to demands for self-service, Legal & General America (LGA) recently launched SelfieQuote in partnership with Lapetus Solutions, Inc., a creator of facial analytics technology.
This “easy and engaging way to get a life insurance quote” requires consumers to submit a picture of their face at selfiequote.com. Almost instantaneously, the tool provides a life insurance quote by estimating the individual’s age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) using facial analytics technology.
“We see SelfieQuote as a really interesting customer engagement tool,” explained Jim Galli, EVP of business strategy and innovation and LGA. “It’s fun and straightforward, and it has increased our engagement with a younger demographic.
“SelfieQuote is a seamless process through which consumers can get a lot of information and details about life insurance [and] if they want to engage further, they can get in touch with us and we can walk them through a more formal application.”
The life insurance industry in the US hasn’t typically been first on the bandwagon when it comes to digital transformation and automated tools. It’s a tailored industry where many consumers benefit from human advice around how much insurance is needed and for how long a term.
But the digital age has brought with it consumers who are happy to do their research alone online and then purchase a policy at 3am when the majority are fast asleep. Improving the customer experience is the “real driver” of technological innovation at LGA, said Galli.
“The fun thing about this SelfieQuote technology is that it’s global. It’s a platform that can be easily exported,” he told
Insurance Business. “We’re very integrated with our team in the UK, so after watching and assisting our launch, they’re now preparing to launch it in the UK. It will be the same vendor and technology, but with a slightly different value proposition and customer interaction.
“We haven’t yet thought about how this facial recognition technology could work with other products. In the US, we’re focused on life insurance, but in the UK and other countries, L&G has products outside of life insurance, so will this become an interesting tool for other markets? We’re going to keep testing it and see where it resonates the most.”
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