As of today, June 15, the new generic top level domain (gTLD)—what you see to the right of the dot in a website URL, such as “.com” or “.org”—dotInsurance is now available, opening new online real estate to the insurance sector.

The beauty of the dotInsurance string is that in addition to providing a level of security and regulatory scrutiny that is unavailable elsewhere on the web, it also works for everyone, from major global insurance companies to the smallest independent agencies. While large carriers and agencies may seem like an obvious target for dotInsurance, the TLD is available at reasonable rates to organizations and individuals at all levels of the insurance spectrum, including:

• Main Street independent agencies
• Large agencies representing several carriers
• Captive agencies
• Adjustors
• Claims processors
• Wealth managers and retirement advisors
• Actuaries
• Marketplaces and exchanges

Any organization, no matter how big or small, can apply for a dotInsurance URL. But they must first undergo a stringent verification process, which ensures that only verified members of the insurance community use the domain name. For insurance companies, agents, agencies, brokers, brokerages and other intermediaries or representatives, this includes verification of licensure and approval or certification with the registrant’s government regulatory authority.

The registry running dotInsurance, fTLD, also manages dot Bank, which has successfully launched and carries one of the most secure technical infrastructures in the world. The levels of pre-verification and authentication are complex to ensure that only businesses genuinely involved in insurance can apply. Levels of ongoing verification will continue long after the initial registration period has ended.

Registering in the dotInsurance TLD space is an opportunity for insurance firms of all sizes and branches of specialty to register the most relevant domain names available. Some companies that missed out on registering in the dot Com web space now have the opportunity to register their brand name with a highly relevant TLD. This should be attractive both to brands and digital agencies. And because “insurance” and “insure” are two of the most expensive existing cost-per-click listings, it could also mean lower pay-per-click opportunities for brand holders.

The main purpose of dotInsurance is to gain search traffic. As of yet, using a new gTLD offers no inherent advantage in organic search ranking, but that could change in the not-too-distant future. Eventually, search engines may give websites using dotInsurance a higher ranking than those only containing the word “insurance.” Because it is a highly restricted TLD, the risk is lower of a brand infringer applying for a specific dotInsurance term and using it for fraudulent or defamatory purposes.

If your agency is contemplating a new website or expanding your current online presence, you may want to consider acquiring a highly relevant and easily searchable URL ending in dotInsurance.

Stuart Fuller is director of commercial operations and communications at NetNames, a global online brand protection firm.