There’s nothing like new parenthood to send people into a protective panic. First-time parents want to make sure that every product that they buy is ideal for their new baby. In the hurry to buy a bassinet or baby clothes, one of the products that they might forget about is their insurance. Your insurance marketing should support this demographic and remind them that with a new baby comes new insurance needs.
What Insurance Do New Parents Really Need?
Life insurance is often prominent on parents’ minds both before and after the birth of their first child. According to The Globe and Mail, “new parents are faced with a host of monetary issues, and among them is whether to invest in life insurance or other financial instruments.” People may not choose life insurance when they have no dependents, but as their family grows, they realize that they need to protect their family in case of disaster. While many people consider life insurance to be there as income protection, life insurance is also useful for a family in which one parent is the primary caretaker of the children. If that parent died, the family would need to pay for child care. Life insurance should cover both income and child care.
However, new parenthood comes with a host of other changes, and new parents’ insurance needs go far beyond life insurance. Even if you don’t sell life insurance, you can market to new parents and support their needs for new insurance.
Insurance needs change throughout a couple’s life, and pregnancy and the birth of a child is a huge life change. In addition to life insurance, here’s what couples need to consider as they embark on the journey of parenthood:
- House Insurance: Pregnancy is a common time for couples to move, especially if it’s their first pregnancy. Parents may change their residence, get a larger apartment, purchase a home, or move in with family members. In the shuffle and hurry to organize before a baby comes, they need to remember to adjust their insurance accordingly. If they purchase a larger home and rent out the basement or move in with relatives, their insurance needs could change substantially.
- Vehicle Insurance: For a Millennial audience that’s not used to owning a vehicle, new parenthood can lead them to ownership of their first car. They know that they need car insurance, but they also need help choosing a plan that will fit their budget.
- Health and Chronic Illness Insurance: More than ever, parents need to know that they’re protected in case their health deteriorates. They need to cover the birth of their child, and they also need to look at how adding a baby will change their family’s insurance needs. Families also look at chronic illness insurance to see whether they can get covered in case a parent is diagnosed with a serious illness and is unable to work or take care of the children.’
How Can You Market to New Parents?
Insurance marketing for new parents isn’t simple since these parents are often very busy, tired, and distracted. One of the times to market to first-time parents is before they have their baby. According to Target Marketing, “marketers experienced in targeting new parents note that women in their first and second trimesters are in the research stage.” Women in the third trimester begin to make their purchases for the baby. They’re already busy, and many juggle full-time jobs with first-time pregnancy. You can advertise in child-related publications offline and online, such as Baby Center. Targeted online marketing through social media or Google Ads can also be successful ways to reach out to new parents. If you want to draw in this audience, post information-rich blogs, and videos that are easy to scan and outline the insurance that this audience needs, coaching them through this busy time in their lives.
Remember that in the bustle of having a baby, changing insurance needs can get forgotten. Instead of adding something to a parent’s to do list, offer a service that makes their lives easier. Offer workshops or information for parents of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers who may not have organized their insurance products and are wondering where to begin. Focus on how to baby-proof a home, or create babyproofing kits or handouts. Give tips on car seat safety for new parents, and hold a car seat safety clinic. Position yourself as an ally with this busy audience, and you’ll have their business long after their children grow up.
Is your business growing? Contact American Agents Alliance. We can help you reach out to new audiences and satisfy your existing insurance clients. We offer many membership benefits, information sharing, and networking at our annual insurance conference —the 2017 American Agents Alliance Convention & Expo! Contact us today.
