The recently released 2012 Satmetrix Net Promoter Benchmark Study reveals the leaders and laggards in customer loyalty within the insurance industry. Brand loyalty is an important factor for any company: loyal insurance customers not only stay with a company and go to it for all their needs, but they are also more likely to recommend the company to new customers as well.

To calculate each company's Net Promoter Score (NPS), Satmetrix polled 30,000 Americans on their likelihood to recommend the company and asked them to rate the company overall on an 11-point scale as well as on various other aspects of customer experience including product or service features, customer service and overall value.

And the results are in. Click “Next” to see who are the leaders and laggards in customer loyalty in the homeowners, auto, health and life insurance sectors. John Abraham, general manager of Net Promoter programs at Satmetrix, provides insight into clients' feedback on the companies.