Could ‘plain English’ become an advisor’s secret weapon?

For many people, insurance coverage can be confusing and overwhelming.

That’s one reason why Farmers Insurance is rolling out a simplified snapshot page for select home and auto policies. It will clearly spell out what’s covered and what’s not. In addition, policyholders will have access to free coverage reviews from Farmers agents.

“The snapshot does not change or replace the policy material itself,” said Deborah Battaglia, head of customer experience at Farmers Insurance.

Instead, it aims to present key information about coverage, exclusions, deductibles, and available options using plain language, clear organization, and a customer-friendly format.

“In other words, we want to make insurance make sense,” Battaglia explained.

For advisors, this is great news as it can make it easier to explain the ins and outs of a policy to clients. It can also help build trust and strengthen long-term client relationships.

What makes insurance so confusing?

Insurance terms were created in a legal context, not a consumer education context. That’s why many clients struggle to understand their policies.

Eric Croak, president of Croak Capital, spends a lot of time explaining terms like riders, exclusions, deductibles, actual cash value, and replacement cost coverage to his clients.

“These are often very technical but critical areas of an insurance policy,” Croak explained.

Matt Cullina, head of global cyber insurance business for TransUnion, points out that cyber policies, for example, usually consist of pages and pages of complex information.

The headings are all broken out separately, while the definitions they rely on typically appear in an entirely different section.

“Policyholders have to toggle back and forth to understand what’s actually covered. In addition, exclusions, conditions and the declaration pages, creating even more places to look for a clear answer,” Cullina added.

Knowing a term isn’t the same as understanding it

Farmers found that being familiar with a term doesn’t always translate into understanding it.

“For example, most consumers have heard of common insurance terms like ‘deductible,’ but our research shows that many still appreciate additional information in plain language to help understand how they apply their own coverage,” Battaglia said.

In addition, consumers want a clear picture of what their policy covers and what it does not, and how that information is communicated matters.

“Consumers are more receptive to information about coverage limitations and exclusions when it’s presented in a visual, easy-to-understand, and jargon-free way,” Battaglia added.

Turn complex coverage into clear conversations

Advisors should put themselves in their client’s shoes and focus on the fundamentals before jumping into more technical details.

“Meeting customers where they are means starting with the questions they’re actually trying to answer: What coverage do they have, what do they not have, what they would owe out of pocket in certain scenarios, and what optional coverages are available to them,” Battaglia explained.

When advisors explain those points in plain language, use real-world examples, and pause to confirm the customer understands before moving on, they foster trust. A technical discussion about coverage suddenly turns into a more useful conversation about the customer’s needs.

Croak noted that while simplifying a policy is important, oversimplifying it can lead to issues down the road, as there are often many exclusions and special conditions that must be explained.

It’s about balancing simplicity with completeness.

“Advisors should lead with ‘you have coverage for X, which means Y, Z' and then drill down a bit to explain important nuances and details,” Croak said.

Ultimately, the goal should be to clearly convey those big-picture points without overlooking the essential details.

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