Google Compare Insurance Site to Shut Down

Google is shuttering Google Compare, its U.S. comparison-shopping site for auto insurance, credit cards and mortgages, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The company said in an email to its partners that Google Compare’s U.S. and U.K. services would start winding down this month and terminate on March 23, according to the Journal. Google said the service didn’t meet its expectations and that the company will now focus on AdWords and future innovations, the paper reported citing the email.

“Google has apparently discovered what independent insurance agents have always known: when it comes to insurance, customers appreciate that it is a complex transaction that requires professional advice,” said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Mike Becker. “PIA’s research has consistently shown a strong preference among both personal lines and commercial lines customers for doing business with a local agent.”

“However, independent agents should not interpret this decision to wind down Google Compare as an indication that they need not compete in the digital arena,” Becker cautioned. “Customers also want local agents as experts who are capable of online interaction concerning their accounts and are backed by the efficiency of the Internet.”