More than 1 in 6 Google AI Mode queries are entirely non-text, and image searches in AI Mode were growing more than 40% month over month as of May 2026, according to Google’s AI Search research. If you are an insurance broker, that matters because your next prospect may not begin by typing the insurance phrase you expect.
They may begin with a photo of water around a basement drain, hail damage across a vehicle, or a screenshot of an insurance document they do not understand. Multimodal AI lets Google work with what the person can see and the question they ask, so the search can start before the person knows the right insurance terminology.
Google reported that more than one in six AI Mode queries were entirely non-text. That means images and other inputs already play a meaningful role in how people use AI Search.
Google also reported that image searches in AI Mode were growing more than 40% month over month at the time. That gives businesses a clear reason to watch how visual search develops.
What Does Multimodal AI Mean for You?
It gives prospects another way to reach insurance information. Instead of first knowing whether they need to search for sewer backup, comprehensive coverage, or another industry term, they can show Google what they are looking at and ask a natural question about it.
Search Starts With What People See
You might have a page built around “sewer backup insurance,” but a homeowner standing in a wet basement may never search those words. They may photograph water around a floor drain and simply ask Google whether insurance covers what they are seeing.
The same thing can happen with hail damage, a cracked windshield, roof damage, or an unfamiliar part of a policy document. The customer sees the problem first, while the insurance vocabulary often comes later.
A customer notices damage or an insurance detail they do not understand. They may have no idea what the industry calls it yet.
They use an image through a supported visual-search feature. The image becomes part of the search instead of sitting outside it.
They add a question in normal language. They do not need to guess the exact insurance keyword before starting.
Google searches for information that can help answer the question. Relevant web pages can become part of that discovery process.
This behaviour does not stop with insurance. We have also looked at how multimodal AI changes local service discovery in dentistry, where someone can also begin with what they see instead of knowing the professional term first.
What This Could Look Like for Your Clients
Insurance creates plenty of situations where a picture can provide useful context. These examples show how a customer could use multimodal search, but they do not represent reported Google search volume for these exact questions.
Water Around a Basement Drain
The homeowner knows there is water in the basement but may not know whether it came from a sewer backup, plumbing failure, or surface flooding. That makes it difficult to know which insurance phrase to search.
A useful insurance page can explain the common causes, the coverage terms that may matter, and what the homeowner should check next. The page helps because it answers the question rather than expecting the customer to know the terminology already.
Hail Damage Across a Vehicle
A driver can see dozens of dents across the hood but may not know which section of an auto policy usually deals with hail. The visible damage gives them enough information to begin asking the question.
Content that clearly explains the relevant auto coverage terms can help that person understand what they should look for in their own policy. It can also give them a reason to contact a broker when they need clarification.
A Screenshot of a Coverage Page
A customer may see a deductible, limit, or unfamiliar policy term and have no idea what it means in practical terms. They can use the document itself as part of the search instead of retyping the wording.
A clear educational page can explain the term and show the customer what they still need to confirm in their own policy. It should help them understand the issue without pretending to interpret the final outcome of a specific claim.
The shift is simple: your prospect may understand the problem they can see before they understand the insurance words normally used to search for it. Multimodal search gives them a way to start anyway.
Google Can Now Show You the Traffic
Google made this easier to measure on September 24, 2026, when it added web multimodal search reporting to Search Console. The reporting covers visual-search experiences including Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome’s “Search this image” feature.
You can review the details in Google’s multimodal Search Console update. Google says site owners can use the multimodal search type filter and export the data, which gives you a way to see whether this type of search already reaches your website.
What Should You Look For?
Start with the pages receiving multimodal impressions and clicks, then review the available query data around them. That tells you much more than guessing which insurance topics should work well in visual search.
If your property does not show meaningful multimodal activity yet, you do not need to overhaul your site because of one new Search feature. Keep watching the data and focus first on the pages and channels that already bring real visibility or inquiries.
Make Your Existing Pages Easier to Understand
If you already have pages about water damage, auto claims, roof damage, or policy questions, start there. You do not need to turn every page into an infographic library, but the page should make sense to someone who arrives without knowing the correct insurance term.
Look at the image, the headline, the explanation around it, and the next question a prospect would probably ask. If the page discusses hail damage but only shows a generic parked car, the visual adds very little to the explanation.
Does the page identify the problem clearly?
A prospect should be able to understand what the page covers without decoding insurance jargon first. Clear language helps the reader connect what they see with the insurance issue being discussed.
Does the image match the topic?
The visual should support what you are explaining instead of acting as decoration. A relevant image gives the reader useful context while they move through the page.
Do you answer the likely next question?
Someone asking about visible damage may next want to know which coverage term matters or whether they should contact a broker. Give them enough information to understand what to do next.
Can the prospect reach you?
Useful information only takes the customer so far if the page gives them no clear next step. Make your contact information or professional profile easy to reach when they want help.
Alt text still matters because it supports accessibility and gives search systems useful textual context. Keep it accurate and descriptive, but do not treat keyword-heavy alt text as a substitute for a page that actually explains the issue well.
A Search Still Needs Somewhere to Land
A prospect may begin with an image, but they still need somewhere useful to go when Google connects that question with the web. That destination could be your brokerage website, an educational article, a business listing, or a public broker profile.
This becomes especially relevant if you do not want to build and maintain a standalone website simply to keep a professional page online. You still need a public place where prospective clients can understand who you are, what you work with, and how they can reach you.
No Standalone Broker Website?
At Beat My Insurance, we let you claim your free broker profile and maintain a public presence on our platform. That gives prospective insurance buyers somewhere to find your broker information without requiring you to pay for separate website hosting simply to maintain that profile.
We do not promise that Google will show your profile for a particular multimodal search, because no public profile can guarantee that result. We give you another public page while our marketplace helps insurance buyers and participating brokers connect.
You can also use the platform to pursue opportunities from insurance buyers rather than relying only on people discovering your profile organically. We explain how that works in our breakdown of free insurance leads for Canadian brokers, including the role of broker profiles and buyer listings.
Start With One Page
If Search Console already shows multimodal activity, choose one page that receives those impressions and look at it through the eyes of the person searching. Ask whether the page answers the real question clearly, whether its visuals support that answer, and whether the visitor has an obvious next step.
Find the page already getting visibility
Start with real Search Console data rather than picking a page because you assume it should perform well. Existing visibility gives you a much stronger place to begin.
Read it like a prospect
Imagine you know what you see but not what the insurance industry calls it. Check whether the page still makes sense from that starting point.
Fix the clearest weakness
You may need a more relevant image, a clearer explanation, or a better next step for the visitor. Make one meaningful improvement instead of rebuilding the whole page.
Watch what happens
Compare impressions, clicks, engagement, and the lead actions you already track. Your own data should decide whether the change deserves to roll out across more pages.
Multimodal visibility should support the rest of your marketing rather than replace it. If you are also working on search, content, local visibility, and lead generation, our article on digital marketing for insurance brokers covers those channels in the wider context of getting found online.
You do not need to chase every new Search feature. Check whether multimodal search already touches your website, improve the pages that have a real reason to benefit, and let your own traffic tell you what deserves more attention.
FAQs
What is multimodal AI in Google Search?
Multimodal AI lets Google work with more than typed words during a search. A person can use an image alongside a question, and Google can use both pieces of information to understand what they want.
What is multimodal Search in Google Search Console?
Google added multimodal search reporting to Search Console in September 2026. It includes eligible searches through Google Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome’s Search this image feature.
Can insurance brokers appear in multimodal Search?
Yes, Google can surface insurance web pages when it finds them relevant to a multimodal search. Google does not guarantee that a particular broker, page, image, or profile will appear for a specific query.
Does Google Search Console show Google Lens traffic?
Yes, Google’s multimodal reporting includes eligible searches through Google Lens. It also includes Circle to Search, image uploads, and Chrome’s Search this image feature.
Do insurance brokers need to add more images?
Not automatically, because more images do not guarantee more visibility. Start with pages where the image can genuinely help explain an insurance question and check your Search Console data before making broad changes.
Is alt text enough for multimodal Search?
No, alt text should accurately describe the image and support accessibility, but it does not replace useful page content. The image, headings, surrounding explanation, and overall topic should make sense together.
Can multimodal Search bring insurance leads?
Multimodal Search can send visitors to insurance content, but Search Console does not tell you whether those visitors will become leads. Track calls, forms, profile activity, and other conversion actions separately so you can measure the result.
Do insurance brokers need their own website?
A standalone website gives you more control, but it is not the only way to maintain a public broker presence. A relevant public marketplace or broker profile can also give prospective clients somewhere to find your information online.
Give Insurance Buyers Somewhere to Find You
We built Beat My Insurance so insurance buyers and participating brokers have a simpler way to connect online. If you do not want to build and maintain a separate website simply to keep a public broker presence, you can create a free profile with us.
We are a neutral technology platform, not an insurer, broker, agent, MGA, or financial advisor. We do not guarantee Google rankings or broker-buyer outcomes, and users remain responsible for reviewing the professionals and insurance options they choose to engage with.
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