What’s in a name? If Romeo and Juliet taught us anything in high school English, it’s that a name alone doesn’t build loyalty. True connection runs deeper. Similarly, brands today aren’t just defined by the products they sell, but also by the experiences they craft, the relationships they nurture, and the value they deliver beyond every transaction. In a world overflowing with noise, the brands that rise above by providing unique value are the ones that become indispensable to their customers’ lives.
Take Chewy, for example. In a recent interview with McKinsey, CEO Sumit Singh explained how the company has evolved from a pet supply start-up into one of America’s most trusted retailers by expanding its brand to offer pharmacy services, pet insurance, telehealth, and even creating several veterinary practices across the United States.
Chewy’s secret? A relentless focus on building trust, anticipating customer needs, and becoming a true destination for pet parents. Chewy isn’t just a place to buy pet food and toys; it’s a brand that bridges gaps, simplifies decisions, and grows alongside the people (and pets) it serves.
The takeaway is that to stay relevant and competitive, brands—regardless of industry—must look beyond their core offerings and build an ecosystem of value around their customers’ needs. Increasingly, that includes insurance.
Let’s face it…no one wakes up excited to shop for insurance. Dense, jargon-heavy policy details aren’t exactly replacing the morning paper at the breakfast table. But people do get excited about solutions that make their lives easier, especially when those solutions anticipate their needs before they might even know they have them. That’s where the growth opportunity lies for new entrants considering the move into insurance. If people already turn to you for trusted products or services, you’re in a prime position to deliver even more value.
As long as your customers are human, they probably need some type of insurance. So why shouldn’t they buy it from you? In fact, the only reason your customers haven’t bought insurance from you yet is simple: you haven’t offered it.
This isn’t about forcing something irrelevant into your business model. It’s about expanding your brand’s role in your customers’ lives where it makes sense, meeting them where they are with what they need next. Solving their problems more holistically and preemptively is how good brands become great.
Again, no one gets excited over buying insurance. That’s why traditional insurers often struggle to build the kind of customer intimacy modern brands already have. Sure, we know Flo, Mayhem, and Jake from State Farm, but the everyday consumer might not always associate them with the broader brand experience or distinguish one insurer from another.
Your customers, on the other hand, already know and trust you. You have the audience, the context, and the credibility. Why not build on that?
Especially for businesses adjacent to key life moments (like buying a home or car, booking a vacation, taking out a loan, or managing finances) embedding insurance into the customer journey increases relevance and reduces friction. It naturally strengthens loyalty, positions you as a more comprehensive solution, and unlocks new revenue through cross-sell opportunities—all by deepening relationships you’ve already built.
You might be wondering how, as a non-insurance brand, you’d even begin offering insurance to your customers. Entering a highly regulated and complex industry like insurance isn’t simple. From compliance to customer experience, there’s a lot to consider, making experience key.
The good news is that your company doesn’t have to become a full-fledged insurance carrier to enter the insurance space. Instead, there are plenty of solution providers that can help you make that leap.
Bindable’s Insurance-as-a-Service platform, for instance, helps brands test and scale insurance offerings through a combination of agency support and white-label digital experiences—making it easy to start small and grow strategically.
Here are a few ways non-licensed companies can monetize their customer base through insurance:
With a partner like Bindable, you don’t have to choose between simplicity and control. You can start with a turnkey insurance partnership, gaining experience, insights, and revenue as you go. Over time, you have the flexibility to scale your program and launch your own agency when the timing makes sense. This built-in “convertibility,” as we call it—the ability to start simple and seamlessly grow into full ownership without disrupting your program’s performance—offers a flexible, crawl-walk-run path to long-term success in insurance.
Offering insurance isn't about becoming an insurer; it's about deepening your role in your customers’ lives. Your brand already delivers value; now it can deliver protection too. Done right, insurance becomes a natural extension of your customer experience and a signal that you understand your customers, anticipate their needs, and are willing to go beyond your core offering to support them.
When customers receive meaningful value, especially in the form of proactive, problem-solving services, it triggers a sense of reciprocity. You’ve helped them when it mattered so now they’re more likely to stick around, spend more, and advocate for your brand. That’s not just good customer service; it’s smart business.
As Chewy CEO Sumit Singh put it: “Enduring companies stay clear-eyed about what the business needs at every stage and have the courage to evolve their teams accordingly.” Brand names might get people in the door or on a site, but having one doesn’t always guarantee loyalty. It’s the willingness to push beyond traditional boundaries and familiar roles while focusing on meeting customers’ real needs that ensures a brand’s lasting vitality.
Contact our team today to learn how our Insurance-as-a-Service platform can help you start simple, move confidently, and unlock new opportunities, all while keeping your brand and your customers’ needs at the center of the experience.