But as in all aspects of their relationships with dealers, carmakers must move delicately. Another business that relies heavily on commissioned salespeople is insurance, which has been the slowest of the financial-services industries to embrace the Internet. But the industry is coming around. The promise of lower distribution costs is driving insurers' interest in the Internet. Reduced costs are one of the chief selling points that Internet insurance marketplaces such as Quicken InsureMarket, InsWeb, and QuickQuote use to persuade insurance carriers to participate in their sites.
Customers use the sites to compare carriers' policies and price quotes, and fill out applications.