Quote Journey
04
Hastings Direct
2020
Redesigning the online car insurance purchase journey to reduce drop-off, restore user confidence, and improve conversion from quote to confirmation.
Client:
Hastings Direct
Date:
2020
Role:
01. The Problem
Hastings Direct's quote journey was losing users, not because they didn't want insurance, but because the experience made buying it feel harder than it needed to be.
63% of users didn't complete the form. 38% failed to receive a quote at all. The average feedback rating sat at 6.24 out of 10.
The redesign focused on restoring structural clarity, improving progression patterns, and reducing avoidable drop-off.
Inconsistent CTA labelling, shifting hierarchy, and no progress indicators. Users couldn't predict what came next.
02. The Insight
We ran 12 usability tests, 12 customer interviews, benchmarked 7 competitors, and conducted 8 stakeholder sessions.
The existing journey asked 42 questions, the journey "felt even longer than it actually was". Too many, but the bigger issue was how they were structured. Fields weren't logically grouped, context was missing, and there was no visible progress. The journey felt even longer than it actually was. We reduced the question count where possible, but the real gain came from restructuring how the remaining questions were grouped, paced, and explained.
Two questions exposed the real issue. It wasn't just quantity, it was grouping. Reducing and restructuring together cut perceived effort dramatically.
03. The Solution
A consistent progression model was introduced across every stage. A step indicator set expectations upfront. CTA hierarchy and interaction patterns were standardised so users could build confidence through familiarity.
Form logic was restructured using progressive disclosure, surfacing only what was relevant at each stage. Failure states were redesigned to provide clear recovery paths instead of dead ends.
Immediate confirmation and a clear next step, replacing the ambiguity of the original flow.
Progressive disclosure reduced visible complexity. Comparison fields surfaced only what mattered at the decision point.
Personalised quote with clear pricing and a single path forward. Expandable sections let users drill into detail on their terms without overwhelming the default view.
04. Results
14% - Increase in users successfully finding what they needed
33% - Increase in reported ease of use
Highest NPS - All-time high for Hastings Direct digital sales
Progression clarity, consistent interaction patterns, and reduced friction across key decision points drove measurable improvement without removing a single required field.