What should insurers measure after a website redesign?

A website redesign should be assessed against the tasks it is intended to improve, not just visits, page views or visual consistency. Start with baseline measures for finding coverage information, progressing towards a quote, accessing policy servicing, locating claims information and completing the relevant action. Segment results by audience where journeys differ, such as prospects, policyholders, brokers, investors or employees.

Combine analytics with observed task completion and user feedback. Analytics can show where people leave a journey, while testing can reveal whether confusing content, navigation or interaction design caused the problem. Measure the same tasks before and after launch, with clear definitions for each outcome. This makes it possible to distinguish a cosmetic refresh from a redesign that improves clarity, navigation and practical use.

Insurance websites need to make complex information easier to locate and interpret. A clear structure can separate essential areas such as what the organisation does, news, leadership, investor information and specialist offerings without making navigation harder. Clear signposting, concise copy and purposeful page hierarchy help users decide where to go next.

When a product or risk is difficult to explain through static pages alone, an interactive tool can help people apply information to their own situation. A digital calculator can combine user inputs with existing data to give an immediate, more relevant view of an issue. The format is less important than the job: help users understand a complex proposition, then guide them to an appropriate next action. A microsite is therefore not automatically better than a well-structured main website.

Accessibility should be designed into insurance journeys from the start. People may browse with a keyboard instead of a mouse, use a browser that reads pages aloud, rely on strong colour contrast, have a slow connection or need more time to read and process information. These needs affect navigation, content, controls, responsive behaviour and moving elements such as auto-rotating carousels.

Bring designers and developers together early to identify constraints before designs are finalised. Practical considerations include text contrast, keyboard and touch input, device behaviour and whether pages remain understandable in different contexts. Covered financial-service online operations are subject to the European Accessibility Act, and the Dutch financial regulator says online services must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust, including compatibility with assistive technologies. Accessibility measures should therefore sit alongside redesign performance measures, not follow them as a late check.