The shift will create openings for new competitors such as CoverHound, a well-funded San Francisco startup that has built a multiple-carrier comparison engine.

FORBES: Will Auto Insurers Survive Their Collision with Driverless Cars? (Part 6)

By way of comparison, that is less than the half multiple enjoyed by the likes of the Washington Post Company (31.7), US Steel (30.9) and Bank of America (25.7), according to data from FactSet.

FORBES: As Apple Tests $500 Again, Are Shares Really Cheap?