Google continues to ambitiously expand its capabilities in and beyond the digital and mobile spectrum, creating an environment that presents new opportunities and challenges for insurers, according to a Strategy Meets Action research brief.

"Google and Insurance: Far-Reaching Implications," authored by SMA Partner Denise Garth, notes that in the insurance world Google acquired a UK auto insurance aggregator and launched its own comparison site shortly thereafter.

While it might be more difficult for Google to launch a comparable aggregation site in the U.S. due to regulatory and business-model challenges, SMA notes that these moves highlight a strategic focus on the insurance industry by companies like Google that have traditionally been viewed as insurance-industry outsiders.