A survey of customer experience outcomes in the motor and property insurance sectors has seen Suncorp brand Apia top the list of insurers customers would recommend.

Brisbane consulting firm Engaged Marketing had 1589 motor insurance and 1489 property insurance policyholders rate their experiences with leading personal lines brands.

The survey used the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which calculates the percentage of customers who rate a company nine or 10 out of 10 on their likelihood to recommend it, minus the percentage of customers who rate it six or lower.

Apia’s motor insurance operation scored an NPS of 8%, and its property insurance operation scored an NPS of 5%.

All other motor and property insurance companies surveyed received negative scores, with motor insurers recording an average NPS of -18%, and property insurers an average NPS of
-22%.

By comparison, US property and motor insurers achieved NPS scores of 33% and 27%.

Engaged Marketing CEO Chris Roberts says the survey shows the significant impact negative comments can have on an organisation, especially in light of increased use of social media.

“For every one negative comment made about a particular motor or property insurance company, it takes around five positive referrals to negate that damage,” he said.