IBC launches insurance literacy campaign

At SmartCoverage we recently discussed the fact that it can be difficult for non-insurance professionals to familiarize themselves with the finer points of insurance on the fly. It appears the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has been thinking the same thing, since it just announced the launch of an online campaign that will aim to promote insurance literacy among Canadian consumers.

The campaign is called 'Know Your Policy' and will be disseminated through a series of posts and videos across Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. All of this social media content will educate viewers about aspects of insurance that are perhaps less intuitive than they would seem to some people: how to start a claim, how to buy insurance, where to go with insurance-related questions, etc.

"As consumers, we often invest a significant amount of time researching purchases for houshold or personal items than we do researching our insurance products," said Sally Turney, Vice-President, Communications, IBC. "For those who have insurance this campaign is designed to help consumers better understand why they should know what their policy covers. If you don't have insurance for your car, home, or business, now is the time to ask questions and protect your most valuable assets."

Turney emphasized the commonality of insurance-triggering events—even those that appear far-fetched or unlikely to occur.

"A car collision, a home damaged by wind or hail and a business interrupted by vandalism or floods are risks that people face each day," she said. "After a loss happens, everyday life can change in many different ways. Now is the time to know your policy and better protect yourself."

Perhaps appealing to consumers through social media is the perfect way to make that information palatable to them. Regardless, it's commendable that IBC has made the effort to do so.