When Marissa Buckley asked her focus group their general thoughts regarding shopping for homeowners insurance, the responses were brutally honest. “I’d rather stick a needle in my eye” and “I’d rather get divorced” were some of the standouts.

Buckley wasn’t surprised. As vice president of marketing for Security First Insurance Co. in Ormond Beach, Fla., Buckley knows the insurance industry is a long way from marrying coverage to consumer understanding. “How do we build a relationship with people who would rather stick a needle in their eye than communicate with us?”