Insurance Ambassadors or Celebrity Coattails?

Celebrities are continuously added and dropped depending on their performance and reputations.  Aligning a brand with a celebrity allow consumers to create an association of the brand with a recognizable personality.  In some cases the celebrity status of the individual is simply used to raise the profile of the brand.  In other cases, the celebrity provide the brand with creditability.  In either case, brands use ambassadors to influence consumer perception of the brand's own "personality".

There are several celebrity endorsement for insurers.  One of the most successful is the use of actor Dennis Haysbert.  Dennis is know for his roles in the Major League films, the movie Heat, and for playing the President in the series 24.  He became Allstate’s spokesman in 2003, using the tagline "That’s Allstate’s stand” and Haysbert has appeared in over 30 commercials since. (1)  The following ad was filmed in 2004.  :

A second example of a high profile and successful celebrity endorsement is Sate Farms use of Green Bay Packers’ quarterback, Aaron Rogers.  Rodgers has become known for his unique touchdown celebration.  This celebration move is know as the "Championship Belt", and Aaron can be seen making this gesture after scoring.  The celebration involves motioning that he is putting an invisible belt on around his waist. (2) State Farm used this well known gesture and renaming it to support the company’s efforts to save consumers money (saving money...  An apparent reoccurring theme in insurance marketing). The “Discount Double Check” is featured in many of State Farm’s recent advertisements.  The concept is simple, an agent reviews your policy to make sure you are not missing any discounts.(3)

Again, the State Farm ads blend, humour, celebrity endorsement, and savings in a effort to persuade customers to seek State Farm insurance products.  Allstate has a slightly different approach by attempting to support it’s brand promise through their slogan “You’re in good hands”.  I guess this mean that not all insurer marketing is mascots, celebrities and premium savings…

Are there any other example of this in the marketplace?

If insurers are not using price, what other marketing strategies are being used?