Nexa Cognition Blog

How UK Estate Agents Can Stay Visible in the AI Search Era

Written by Aaron Johal | May 21, 2025 1:09:00 PM

Traditionally, if you wanted to get found as an insurance provider, you invested in SEO, price comparison sites, or paid ads to appear in Google results for phrases like “best car insurance UK” or “cheap travel insurance.”

But that landscape is rapidly evolving.

Customers are no longer just searching — they’re asking. And increasingly, they’re turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to get those answers.

They’re asking:

  • “What’s the best pet insurance for older dogs in the UK?”
  • “Do I need business insurance as a freelancer?”
  • “Is travel insurance worth it for Europe in 2025?”

And the big shift? ChatGPT doesn’t return links — it returns direct answers. If your brand, product, or expertise isn’t included, you’re invisible.

In this article, we’ll explore how the rise of AI-powered search is reshaping discovery in the insurance sector — and how UK insurers can future-proof their visibility.

 

How Google SEO Has Worked for UK Insurance Providers

Google’s search engine has long favoured brands who optimise for:

  • High-intent keywords (e.g. “life insurance for over 50s”)

  • Google Business Profile and local SEO (for brokers)

  • Technical SEO (site speed, mobile responsiveness, structured data)

  • Backlinks from trusted finance sites or aggregators

  • User experience signals like click-through rates and bounce rates

And while Google still matters — especially for direct acquisition — AI platforms like ChatGPT are quickly becoming a new front door for financial and insurance discovery.

 

How ChatGPT Handles Insurance Questions

ChatGPT doesn’t rank websites. It generates answers based on:

  • Its pre-trained data, including FCA guidance, comparison websites, news articles, blogs, and FAQs

  • Structured sources such as Wikipedia, MoneySavingExpert, GOV.UK, and insurance comparison platforms

  • Occasionally, real-time search plugins (if enabled), which may include live results or aggregators

So when a user types, “What’s the best multi-car insurance policy in the UK?”, ChatGPT might mention brands like Aviva, Direct Line, or Admiral — if they are frequently referenced and reviewed across credible, structured sources.

 

How to Boost Your Visibility in AI-Driven Search

You can’t “rank” your homepage on ChatGPT. But you can increase the likelihood of being cited or recommended by shaping how and where your brand appears online.

Here’s how:

 1. Be Present on Trusted UK Insurance Platforms

Your company or brokerage should be clearly listed and reviewed on:

  • Defaqto, Trustpilot, Google Reviews

  • MoneySuperMarket, Compare the Market, GoCompare

  • Finder.com, Which?, MoneySavingExpert

  • Insurance trade bodies or directories like ABI or BIBA

These are all sources ChatGPT is more likely to trust, reference, or draw from.

 

 2. Optimise Your Website with Structured Data

Add schema markup to help AI tools and Google understand your services:

  • InsurancePolicy (for product pages)

  • LocalBusiness (for brokers or regional offices)

  • FAQPage (for common insurance queries)

  • Review (for customer testimonials)

This improves your site's eligibility for both rich search results and AI learning.

 

 3. Create Content That Answers Real Questions

AI platforms love clear, trustworthy content. Create and publish pages or blog posts that address:

  • “Do I need gap insurance for a leased car?”

  • “What’s covered under contents insurance in the UK?”

  • “How does critical illness cover differ from life insurance?”

Use plain English. Make it factual, helpful, and up-to-date. Bonus: This also improves your site’s EEAT (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust) score with Google.

 

4. Be Active in Online Conversations

Public forums like Reddit (r/UKPersonalFinance), Quora, or MoneySavingExpert forums often shape the information ChatGPT references.

Being part of these discussions — especially when offering value, not just promotion — can enhance your brand’s online presence where AI learns from.

 

 5. Get Cited in Authoritative Publications

If you’re a larger provider or insurtech brand, invest in PR or thought leadership that puts your insights in places like:

  • Insurance Times, FT Adviser, MoneyWeek

  • Consumer blogs comparing policies or discussing best-value options

  • Government consultations or whitepapers (if applicable)

These mentions contribute to your online authority and may help ChatGPT “learn” your brand as a reputable player.

 

Google vs. ChatGPT: What’s the Difference for Insurers?

Feature

Google Search

ChatGPT / AI Search

Discovery Method

Crawls and ranks websites

Generates answers from pre-trained data

Visibility Strategy

SEO + content + links

Authority + mentions + structure

Paid Options

Google Ads, comparison sites

None (currently)

Local Broker Discovery

Google Maps, GBP

Limited (unless plugins enabled)

Content Preference

Keyword-optimised pages

Clear, trustworthy answers

Outcome

Multiple results to choose from

One summarised response

 

Why This Matters for UK Insurers

The Financial Conduct Authority’s Consumer Duty rules call for more clarity, transparency, and customer understanding. AI tools are simply accelerating that shift — putting pressure on providers to be findable, factual, and helpful.

If customers are asking ChatGPT about your products and policies, and it’s giving an answer — you want to be part of it.

 

Make Sure You’re Part of the Answer

In a world where customers are asking AI tools for insurance advice, your brand needs more than just a strong SEO strategy — it needs AI visibility.

✅ Be found in ChatGPT and AI-powered platforms
✅ Build trust through structured, cited content
✅ Stay ahead of changing customer behaviour

Book a free AI visibility audit today.
Let’s make sure your policies show up when customers need answers most.