Mintel Comperemedia forecasts increase in Medicare direct mail

Chicago (December 9, 2009)–The recession hasn’t pulled the plug on marketing direct mail for Medicare. On the contrary, Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, predicts insurance companies will actually increase Medicare direct mail during this year’s Annual Election Period (November 15-December 31, 2009).
Observing a 13% rise in Medicare acquisition mailings for October 2009 versus October 2008, Mintel Comperemedia forecasts this year’s fourth quarter mail will top Q4 2008 by 20%. In full, the firm expects insurers to send approximately 350 million direct mail pieces to non-customers from October to December 2009. Typically, insurance companies send the most Medicare mailings of the year from October to December, when they’re allowed to market Medicare Part D plan information to consumers.
Daniel Hayes, VP of insurance services at Mintel Comperemedia, comments:
“This year, two competing forces–budgetary constraints and the growing population of Medicare-eligible consumers–influenced insurers’ direct mail strategies. It’s clear, however, that the growth of the Medicare ‘population’ won. In the face of tightened budgets, insurance companies still managed a sizable increase in Medicare direct mail this year.”
In the first three quarters of 2009, insurers mailed approximately 360 million Medicare marketing pieces to non-customers, a 29% increase over the 280 million from Q1-Q3 2008. In full, Mintel Comperemedia anticipates a 24% increase in estimated mail volume comparing 2009 to 2008.
“Insurance companies haven’t backed off aggressive mailing strategies for Medicare. Instead, many insurers appear to have cut costs by lowering their spend on individual campaigns,” states Daniel Hayes. Going to a single color, eliminating artwork, and recycling past campaigns helps free up dollars so issuers can send out more direct mail.
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