Businesses today know that they are not fully operational without a website. A website allows existing and potential customers to understand a company's purpose, find out their hours of operation, read up on success stories and charitable endeavors, and much more. But simply having a website isn't enough. Consumers expect a website to be secure, be able to answer any questions they might have and be user-friendly, among other aspects. This is a tall task for a business of any size, but it is what users have come to expect in the age of Google, Amazon and Netflix. A company's website offers the chance to personalize the user experience and exceed their expectations. In the property & casualty (P&C) insurance industry, this is especially critical at a time when brand loyalty is being tested. According to research conducted by Verint, only one P&C provider came out on top for both customer satisfaction and net promoter score compared to the aggregate. (Aggregate customer satisfaction for P&C insurance companies is 76.9; aggregate net promoter score is 26.0)

Key findings

Read below to find out what customers want from sites and apps, and how providers can improve the experience for better engagement and bottom-line benefits.

• P&C customers have a clear channel preference. Fifty-five percent of respondents prefer using mobile devices compared to the 36% that favor using a desktop. Notably, tasks made virtually no difference in channel preference as only one in 10 respondents said what they needed to do on the site influenced whether they used mobile or desktop.
• Those who visited a site for claim-related issues or to find a local agent were the visitors most likely to reach out to a contact center agent. Fifty-nine percent called the contact center, 23% sent an email, and 16% used a chat tool.
• Site performance is a top priority driver for seven of the 10 companies ranked by Verint, while site information is the top primary driver for three companies with the lowest satisfaction.
• The primary reasons for visiting a site vary considerably. Forty-two percent visit to pay bills; 32% visit to log in to an existing account; 10% visit to find a local agent; 9% visit to report a claim or check the status of a claim; and 8% visit to find a service center for repairs.
• Seventy-two percent of respondents have never submitted an auto or motorcycle accident claim using a provider app. However, nearly eight in 10 would consider using an app to manage the claim process in the future. Millennials are the most likely to say they would use a claims app in the future (82%), with Gen Z (72%) and Boomers (73%) slightly less likely.
• Privacy and trust concerns stall the use of tracking apps. Fifty-one percent say they would install a device in the next six months. When asked why they wouldn't install a device, 53% were concerned about privacy; 25% didn't believe they would receive any discounts or credits; 21% didn't want rates to go up; and 15% believe it requires too much effort.

Verint's Digital Experience Index (DXI) survey report examines the digital experiences of the largest insurance providers in two categories: health and P&C providers in the United States as ranked by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The DXI study used a panel sample of 11,519 survey respondents, representative of the U.S. general population, with at least 250 responses for each website. With this in mind, explore our slideshow above to find out how the 10 largest P&C insurance providers' websites rank in terms of customer satisfaction and net promoter score. Related:

• How to build a better online insurance experience
• 3 tips for improving the relationships with your customers
• How to foster a spot-on insurance-agency customer experience