Instinct shops renters insurance
Instinct , the invite-only personal AI assistant developed by San Francisco-based Spear Street Technology, is designed to complete tasks through text messages and WhatsApp. Unlike a traditional chatbot, it can browse websites, contact businesses, compare options, and—with permission—complete purchases.
We tested Instinct by asking it to obtain renters insurance for an apartment in Chicago.
The assistant collected the information needed to quote the risk, including the rental address, date of birth, coverage amount, deductible, occupancy details, prior insurance history, and information about pets, jewelry, electronics, and building safety features.
Instinct first returned quotes from Lemonade and State Farm . For comparable core coverage, Lemonade quoted $6.83 per month, or $81.96 annually, while State Farm quoted $7.83 per month, or $94 annually. After Instinct identified an annual-payment discount, Lemonade’s price fell to $64.
The assistant recommended Lemonade because it was the lowest verified quote, while explicitly stating that it receives no commission or referral fee. It then generated a payment-approval link through Link, with the user’s email prefilled, and requested authorization for the exact $64 charge. Nothing was purchased without approval.
The more revealing part was what happened to the other carriers. GEICO’s quote (think of Assurant) site failed twice and redirected the shopper to a phone number. Progressive could not verify the building address and also required a call. Travelers was not writing renters insurance directly in Illinois. State Farm produced a quote, but lost on price.
