While more people in the UK are using voice assistants like Siri or Alexa to check the weather forecast or get directions, an overwhelming number said they would not use them to take out an insurance policy or manage their banking.
Research from digital home insurer Policy Expert found that less than one in 10 UK adults would use a voice assistant to take out insurance, with 37% not trusting their details will be secure. Additionally, one in five (19%) are sceptical whether the technology is accurate or effective enough, while 16% find the whole idea of speaking to voice assistants “weird” or “creepy.”
Fear of making a mistake (10%) and confusion around how the technology works (9%) are other common factors preventing wider adoption of voice assistants in daily life.
Read more: Policy Expert reveals top sources of home insurance claims
“With many UK households owning at least one device with a voice assistant, access to this technology is quickly becoming widespread,” said Adam Powell, co-founder and chief operating officer of Policy Expert. “But consumers are holding back from getting the maximum benefit from voice assistants, and security concerns represent a significant barrier to wider adoption of this technology to help people manage their household finances.”
Powell said that the insurance industry should “tackle security concerns and put people’s minds at rest, otherwise this technological innovation is likely to go unused.”
“Consumers must feel safe and secure at all stages of the insurance process, with the right safeguards and data protection steps put in place,” he added.
