METROMILE & TURO

Insurance Partnership (2019-2020)

In 2019, Metromile, a pay-per-mile car insurance provider, partnered with Turo, the peer-to-peer vehicle sharing platform, to offer specialized insurance coverage aimed at reducing vehicle ownership costs for Turo hosts. Metromile employed a telematics device, plugged into the vehicle’s OBD port, to assess monthly mileage thereby making that component of the monthly bill variable and potentially yielding low mileage drivers such as Turo hosts considerable savings.

Turo hosts were required to maintain insurance to cover both personal use and guest usage. In the proposed arrangement, guest trips continued to be covered by Turo Insurance Agency, with Metromile providing coverage for hosts' personal vehicle use. The primary challenge was to ensure that coverage from Metromile could seamlessly integrate with Turo's existing policies and provide a smooth onboarding experience for hosts.

Research Objectives

The study focused on:

• Identifying key insurance concerns of Turo hosts

• Assessing their understanding of and comfort level with Metromile's pay-per-mile model

• Informing the onboarding design, and testing its ease of use

Methods

Complementing my work as design lead for the project, and with input from our UX researcher, I developed a qualitative research plan that proceeded from social media analysis to in-depth interviews and prototype walkthroughs. The research was conducted in two phases:

• Phase 1: Social media content research to understand hosts’ insurance concerns, followed by deep dive remote interviews (6 weeks)

• Phase 2: User testing the onboarding design via prototype walkthroughs to gauge comprehension and collect feedback (4 weeks)

To select participants for interviews, I recruited on User Interviews by screening for demographic and technical information, car ownership, usage of car sharing services like Turo, personal driving habits, and existing car insurance details. Participant feedback was recorded and analyzed with consideration of ethical considerations such as informed consent and data anonymization.

The subsequent round of prototype walkthroughs introduced hosts to Metromile insurance and walked them through linking their Turo account and viewing policy information. Using the RITE method, I updated onboarding screens as new insights surfaced.

Findings

My research produced several important insights:

• Coverage peace of mind: Hosts frequently expressed confusion over how their insurance needs would be met, particularly in carrying both Turo and personal insurance.

• Coverage concerns: Hosts were concerned about gaps in coverage and potential denial of claims by personal insurers, especially following accidents. Some hosts considered forming LLCs or opting for commercial insurance to enhance coverage and manage liability.

• Model reception: While the pay-per-mile model was well-received, hosts had questions about the logistics of mileage tracking and how it integrated with guest usage.

• Onboarding experience: Host feedback on the prototype walkthrough emphasized the need for a straightforward, intuitive onboarding process. Transparent communication about coverage details was essential to building trust and confidence among these customers.

Data Analysis

Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes and patterns in participants' responses. Coding was conducted by hand, organizing and analyzing the qualitative data.

One participant remarked, "I’m curious about how Metromile can distinguish between my driving and my guests' trips," highlighting a common concern. Another participant noted, "The idea of pay-per-mile insurance is appealing, but I need to understand how it works with Turo's insurance."

Conclusion

My research validated a robust interest in Metromile's pay-per-mile model among Turo hosts, contingent upon clear communication and precise coverage specifications. The insights provided a valuable foundation for enhancing Metromile’s offerings to better serve Turo hosts.