Insurance Company Logo Design Analysis

We are used to seeing marketing for insurance companies everywhere—on billboards, in television, on the radio and more. Some of the companies have rather ingenious campaigns and recognizable characters such as the Geico lizard. Smaller companies with smaller advertising budgets have their work cut out for them, because trying to compete in this saturated and brand-conscious market can be a challenge.

This is exactly the task facing Kemper. Kemper is an insurance company that most of us in the general public have not heard of, but with 6 million policyholders it is hardly a small business. Kemper merged almost a decade ago with Unitrin, another insurance company, and is adopting a new insurance logo design and brand to promote the conglomerate.

The image is of a K made from layered triangles. The K falls into the popular origami design motif that we have seen often in the past year. The name of the company is written in serious, bold upper-case letters in the Gotham font. One of the most interesting choices in this logo is the color of the K; the ochre color is eye-catching and youthful, but not one usually seen in this all-business industry. According to the Kemper company, it is meant to show warmth and approachability.

The new logo was used in a national marketing campaign to promote their brand as yet another large insurance company. It is a safe logo by all definitions—nothing to look at here, folks—but it is not a bad one at all. In fact, it will stand out in a field where logos tend to use too many serifs and blues.

One interesting note is that when the two companies merged, they kept the Kemper name but dropped Unitrin like the proverbial hot potato. We think this may be due to the overly technical feeling of the Unitrin name. It sounds like a pharmaceutical product, perhaps a new medication. Kemper, on the other hand, is easy to pronounce and has a business-like feeling.

Kemper will have to undergo a lot of marketing in order to compare with Nationwide, State Farm, and the many other competitors in their field. A new insurance logo design and visual brand is the first step in making this leap from small potatoes to the big time.

We have to wonder about the use of the Gotham font. This wording style is used often in New York City, as implied by the name. It will be the font used in the soon-to-be constructed Freedom Tower. In addition, the font has been used by Starbucks, Yahoo, the Discovery Channel and even the Obama campaign. It is hard to say that this is the wrong choice, but we have to wonder whether something a little more specific and less general would have been appropriate. After all, logo design is all about differentiation. On the other hand, there are certainly many good associations with the Gotham font, and it is very different from many others used in the insurance industry.

Top 10 Auto Insurance Logos

What’s in a logo? Auto insurance companies use insurance company logos to portray the positive emotions that they hope their policyholders feel, including security or friendliness. From established insurance companies to the newest internet agencies, there are a wide variety of companies on this list with just as wide a variety of logos that nonetheless are all attractive and effective (unlike some awful logos).

1. Esurance Auto Insurance Logo Design

This auto brand may be for a relative newcomer to the insurance industry, but it clearly has many things going for it. First, it uses the calming colors blue and green. This makes customers think that dealing with Esurance will be a soothing experience rather than a problematic one. The writing is rounded and entirely lower case, playing on the perceived friendliness and informality of the internet. Last, its image uses not just a shape reminiscent of a road, but one that is in a swoosh pattern that represents forward movement. This is appropriate for a company that is revolutionizing the way people buy auto insurance.

2. Farmer’s Auto Insurance Logo Design

This insurance giant is not as small as their name suggests, and their car logo is as substantial as the company itself. First, the shield is a common symbol of tradition, and in a bold red it cannot be missed. The half circle in the background is not just a friendly, rounded shape; it also has rays suggesting a dawn, which connotes hopes. The company’s tagline is at the bottom. All wording is in strong, dominant fonts, showing the strength of the company message. This insurance logo gives the viewer a sense of tradition and strength, an appropriate image for an insurance company.

3. State Farm Auto Insurance Logo Design

State Farm is another older, more established company with a motor logo that is recognizable to many Americans. The general shape is a serious square, but the corners are rounded to give a more friendly feeling. The center has entwined circles with the company’s three main types of insurance in the middle. The three circles form a triangular shape, combining the strength of the triangle with the inclusiveness of the circle. This logo is both interesting and effective because it harmoniously uses all of the major shapes.

4. Nationwide Auto Insurance Logo Design

Nationwide Insurance features a more unique logo than most of its competition. The logo is in a square shape, which is solid and serious. However, the square is filled with negative space, so that it looks like a frame. The rounded writing is friendly and inviting. This frame shape has been used in all of the company’s commercials and advertising, to show that this company is something protective that surrounds its policy-holder’s life with safety and security.

5. AAA Auto Insurance Logo Design

This is another logo that manages to use many major shapes with different meanings in one cohesive logo design. First, the generally oval shape of the logo shows a sense of inclusiveness. However, the blue wave-like shape in the background connotes forward movement. The A’s in the center of the oval are subtly shaped like triangles, adding a kick of strength. These three shapes form a logo with a strong message that the customer can be included in this strong and progressive company.

6. General Auto Insurance Logo Design

This color palette of dark gray and oceanic blue is soothing and inviting, suggesting that this company will solve problems and resolve anxieties. The car in the center is appropriate for this industry, but it is rounded to feel inviting and friendly. The body of the car is another progressive wave, giving people a sense of movement. The writing is rounded but in bold upper case letters, while a tagline is included to communicate one of the company’s key values. In all, this logo is modern while using many classic principles of logo design.

7. GEICO Auto Insurance Logo Design

The GEICO gecko and logo are recognizable all over the nation thanks to a clever and humorous advertising campaign. Therefore, it is good branding to include this imaginary spokesperson in the logo itself. In addition to the recognizable reptile, there are other good logo principles in play here. The lettering is rounded but definitely square, incorporating two common logo design messages. Last, the writing is in a soothing blue, adding a calming feeling to the logo and the company it represents.

8. Infinity Auto Insurance Logo Design

This insurance company has a logo that is unlike most others. Like many others, it uses the square. The square is black to add to the serious image. However, a wave shape is oriented within the shape to appear to be a roadway. The sense of movement within these serious confines is easy to see. To add to the interest, the wording is written in an orange color that is both eye catching and similar to that of road signs.

9. Traveler’s Auto Insurance Logo Design

The Traveler’s Insurance logo is an example of the paradigm that sometimes less is more. There isn’t a lot to this image, but it still manages to communicate many key messages. The lettering is serious, with a thick, black, square shape, but it is slightly slanted to give the impression of movement. Next to the words is an umbrella in a can’t-miss-it hue of bright red. Because umbrellas protect against storms and bad weather, the similarity to insurance can’t be missed. The message is that Traveler’s will protect you from the storms that life brings.

10. Progressive Auto Insurance Logo Design

This logo may be simple, but that is what helps it stay in the customer’s head. The writing is in a calming blue, and the letters, while square, are slanted slightly to denote forward movement. In all, this is a ‘progressive’ logo that fits the company name perfectly.

Even if you don’t own an auto insurance company, there is a lot to be learned from these logos. The use of color, shape, and image is powerful and communicative. There are good examples of how simple logo designs and even more complicated ones can be used to create an image and invoke emotion in the target audience.