Consumer perception of UnitedHealthcare amid tragedy

Last month, Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was assassinated outside a hotel in New York. According to law enforcement bulletins, the alleged culprit was motivated by resentment of insurance companies. But how did Thompson’s murder affect the public’s views on the company he worked for?

Using data from YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks daily consumer perceptions of brands, we assessed its impact. 

Before the incident, UnitedHealthcare’s Index score - a comprehensive measure of brand health based on six essential aspects - averaged 15.4. This score provided a strong indication of the brand’s stable and positive reputation. However, since the news of Thompson's death broke, the Index score has fallen, reaching its lowest ever point (-0.7).

Among the brand health metrics, UnitedHealthcare’s Quality score stands out as its strongest asset. This score reflects consumer perceptions of the company’s service quality. Despite recent challenge, UnitedHealthcare continues to maintain a net positive image in this area.

The company’s Satisfaction score, while consistently below the overall Index score, has stood up better than other components of the overall brand health metric. The decline in this metric since December 2024 has been less pronounced, and it still contributes positively to the company's brand health. 

In contrast, weaknesses are evident in the Value category, which measures perceptions of the brand’s value for money. This area has long brought down its overall brand health and recent declines continue to do so. Before Thompson’s assassination, UnitedHealthcare’s Impression and Reputation scores exceeded its Index score, but these too have fallen.

Consumer Consideration amid rising Awareness

UnitedHealthcare’s Awareness score has risen steadily since the killing, suggesting the company is firmly in the public eye. Despite the challenges reflected in other metrics, the Consideration score - measuring the likelihood of consumers choosing UnitedHealthcare for their insurance needs - has seen only a slight decline, averaging 16.1% in recent months but falling to around 13% recently.

The data suggest that Brian Thompson’s killing has turned the public’s attention on the brand and has quickly – if perhaps temporarily - changed perceptions of it.

Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. A brand’s Index score is an overall measure of brand health, made up of General Impression, Customer Satisfaction, Quality, Value, Corporate Reputation and Recommendation and delivered as a net score. Its Consideration score is based on the question: “When you are in the market next to book a flight, from which of the following would you consider purchasing a ticket?” Data from surveys of adults aged 18 years and above residing in the United States from October 2024 to January 2025. The figures are based on a 4-week moving average. Learn more about BrandIndex.

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