Google has been increasingly active in the insurance marketplace, which has led many to presume the Internet powerhouse is gearing up for its insurance debut.
Over the previous two years, Google has been operating its auto insurance comparison website Google Compare in the United Kingdom and they could be preparing to launch a similar product in the United States. They have recently partnered with a website comparison company that operates similarly to airline and hotel comparison sites and it is estimated that they are now licensed to sell insurance in more than half of the United States.
There are also rumors that Google is preparing to buy (or may already have bought) a San Francisco insurance agency to kick off its start in the California insurance market. The New York Times has the whole story.