Insurance and Gays, Lesbians - Patterns Differ from Heterosexuals’

Gays and lesbians are twice as likely as heterosexuals to purchase their automotive insurance online, according to a study of auto, life and homeowner’s/renter’s insurance by Harris Interactive in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, MarketingCharts writes.

Below, findings from the study.

Auto Insurance

One in six (17 percent) of gays and lesbians said they purchased their primary automotive insurance online, compared with only 8 percent of heterosexuals.

42 percent of gays and lesbians are likely to purchase their primary auto insurance through a company agent, compared with 35 percent of heterosexuals.

When asked what reasons they might use for switching their auto insurance from one company to another, 33 percent of self-identified gays and lesbians said a company’s offering domestic partner benefits to its employees would be one of their top three reasons for changing insurance carriers.

View  tables of insurance purchase methods and reasons for switching companies.

Life Insurance

Far fewer gays and lesbians report having life insurance coverage than heterosexuals: Almost half of gay and lesbian adults (49 percent) have no life insurance policies, whereas just under one-third (32 percent) of heterosexuals claim to have none.

(View life insurance table.)

Homeowner’s/Renter’s Insurance

Gays and lesbians are less likely to have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, with only 59 percent claiming to have it compared with 70 percent of heterosexuals (see table).

Of the respondents who said they do have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, more gays and lesbians (46 percent) said they purchased their primary insurance through a company agent than did heterosexuals (37 percent)  - for more findings, see table.

About the study: The new nationwide survey of 2,514 US adults, (ages 18 and over), of whom 303 were self-identified as gay or lesbian (which includes an over sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults), was conducted online between January 15 and 22, 2008, by Harris Interactive.