More insurance buyers are using mobile devices to begin their search for insurance coverage, though most complete their purchase offline, according to a study from Telmetrics conducted by Nielsen.

It reports that around half of insurance buyers begin the insurance research process on a mobile device, but 60 percent still use PCs in their purchase decision.

Ultimately, one out of four mobile insurance searches result in a conversion, and most (43 percent) make that conversion via a phone call to a local agent or to a company’s toll-free number.

The majority (80 percent) of insurance buyers using mobile devices search for auto insurance, followed by 38 percent for home insurance and 22 percent for health insurance.

A press release quotes Bill Dinan, president of Telmetrics:

Generating a 60-40 offline-online conversion split, insurance is a true multi-media engagement category that requires insurance marketers to meet a range of consumers’ search and conversion needs.

To aid mobile-driven conversions via calls, mobile insurance campaigns should prominently feature phone numbers and local agent office information for consumers to easily connect and make a purchase.†

The study also reveals that insurance buyers take a long time to consider their purchase and mobile is involved at every stage.

Nearly half of mobile insurance users take a month or longer to make a purchase and less than a quarter of insurance purchases happen within the day.

Hat tip to Insurance & Technology which reports on the findings here.