"For insurers, good service is increasingly about removing unnecessary work from the customer."
- Smart Money People - UK insurance market Q3 2026 report
Smart Money People’s UK insurance market Q3 2026 report has revealed that ease of use, service and fairness are the key factors customers associate with a positive insurance experience.
Based on verified customer reviews left at Smart Money People, the report found that overall customer satisfaction reached 4.89 out of 5 in Q3 of this year, with Net Promoter Score (NPS) at +91.1 and customer service at 4.78 out of 5.
This is a slight increase from Q3 2025, when overall satisfaction was at 4.87, and NPS was at +89.6.
In terms of how customers define a good insurance experience, ease of doing business reached 9.65 out of 10 and 95.6% of customers reported feeling fairly treated, suggesting that low effort on the consumer’s end continues to be linked to customer satisfaction.
The report states: "Customers respond positively when getting a quote is straightforward, information is clear, policy changes are easy to make, renewals are hassle-free and help is readily available when things become more complicated."
In addition, the report found that while almost half, or 47%, of customers were influenced by price when choosing an insurer, 34% were also influenced by recommendations, 31% by service, and 28% by the products available.
"Good value isn’t simply paying less; it’s feeling the experience was worth what you paid," the report reads.
This was supported by its value-for-money score, which reached 4.69 out of 5 in Q3 2026.
Overall, the report identified three themes to highlight what customers value when insurance works well. These are reducing customer effort, demonstrating value beyond price, and ensuring the experience lives up to the promise of the product.
The report summarises: "The strongest experiences tend to combine straightforward journeys, helpful service, competitive value and confidence that the product will do what the customer expects."
Claims and health insurance in the spotlight
Health insurance was chosen as the spotlight sector for Q3, with customers' reviews remaining broadly positive, but lower than the industry average. Overall satisfaction stood at 4.7 out of 5 and NPS at +82.8.
However, while 94.7% of health insurance customers said they understood their product, only 87.8% said the product met their needs, which Smart Money People suggests is a sign of a gap between understanding and suitability.
"The strongest customer outcomes come when that understanding is reinforced by fair treatment and cover that works as expected in practice," the report says.
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Meanwhile, the report identified claims and renewal increases as the areas with the strongest negative customer feedback, along with communication and customers having to chase providers.
The report notes that claims and renewals often mark the moment when customers shift from holding a policy to requiring their insurer to deliver on promises, and that this is an experience that "can quickly reshape how they feel about the whole relationship."
As a result, it warns that "strong scores therefore shouldn’t encourage complacency. The moments customers find hardest remain the moments with the greatest potential to build or damage trust."
