ACKO makes insurance feel understandable, usable, and dependable when something goes wrong. We should sound:

• Assuring
• Plainspoken
• Insightful
• Transparent

When copy pulls in different directions, use this priority order to decide what wins:

Trust > clarity > usefulness > warmth > cleverness

Insurance is tested when something goes wrong. That's when the user needs us to sound clear, steady, and in control.

We get there by removing uncertainty, step by step: what happened, what we're doing, what the user needs to do, and what happens next.

Insurance shouldn't need a translator.

Say what matters in words the user understands: what's covered, what's not, what it costs, what to do next, and what could affect a claim. Make the important things easy to find, easy to read, and hard to misunderstand.

Be the most informed person in the room, and use that to help the user choose well, not to push what we want to sell. Tell the user something they didn't know they needed to know.

No sugarcoating the tough stuff. Give exclusions the same space as cover, and put both where the user can see them. If it could catch someone off guard at claim time, say it upfront.

Functional writing. The user is mid-task and needs to move. Every word should earn its place. If something is going wrong, say it clearly and immediately. No softening, no burying. Tone: calm and direct. Not warm, not cold. Just clear.

The user is deciding whether to trust ACKO. Lead with what they need to know, not what ACKO wants to say. Anticipate the doubt and answer it before they have to ask. Be insightful, not just promotional.

Conversational but never casual. Users expect a person here, not brand language. Every message should give them something useful, not just a nudge. Weave the user's name in organically, never at the start.

More room than other channels, but not an invitation to fill it. The most important thing goes in the first two lines, and subject lines say the actual thing. Email carries policy updates, renewal reminders, and claim communications: high-stakes moments where plain, direct writing matters most.

Where ACKO's personality shows more than its principles. Wit and timing matter as much as voice. The one thing that doesn't change: don't oversell, and don't say things on social that can't be backed up everywhere else.

Write the full term first, then the abbreviation in brackets. After that, the abbreviation alone is fine.

These are in common enough use that they don't need spelling out every time.

These terms appear often but are unfamiliar to most users. Always explain them in context; don't assume the user knows what they mean.

ACKO operates in a regulated industry. Avoid superlatives and unverifiable claims. You can reference official accreditations, but only in the exact form they were awarded.

If a design solution can replace copy and reduce cognitive load, don't write. Copy that explains a bad design is still bad design. Ask: can an icon, layout, or visual hierarchy do this instead?

Write in complete sentences. Explain jargon the moment you use it. Avoid ambiguity: if a sentence can be read two ways, it will be read the wrong way. Clarity always beats brevity when they conflict.

Right level of detail, no more. No filler words, no throat-clearing, no restating what was already said. Pick the shorter word when both work equally well.

Every piece of copy should move the user toward their goal. Show where they are, suggest the next action, and when something goes wrong, tell them what to do, not just what happened.

Use personal pronouns (you, your, we, our). Keep syntax simple. Active voice. Short sentences. Write the way a knowledgeable person would explain something to a friend, not the way a policy document would state it.

Use brand-value references. Make positive associations only: with preparedness, transparency, and dependability. Not with excitement, fear, or pressure. If in doubt, ask: does this sound like ACKO, or does it sound like any insurance company?

Every screen is made up of the same components. Each has a specific job; don't let one do another's work.

Write it as the user would think it, not as ACKO would instruct it. First-person works especially well at high-stakes moments like active claims.

Six words max. Two or three is ideal.

Exception: ACKO is always written in caps.

Apostrophes are the only exception.

A number is more convincing than an adverb. Only use a time claim if the flow delivers it.

Each verb has a specific use. Don't swap them freely.

Some situations always call for the same CTA.

Capitalise only the first letter of the sentence. Use title case for proper nouns only: product names, plans, ACKO.

Never end a page title, heading, or subtext with a full stop. Exception: if you are using two punchy short sentences for effect, use full stops.

3 lines is the absolute limit. A heading that runs longer usually forces two ideas into one; split them or simplify.

The heading should make complete sense on its own. If the meaning only works when you read the subtext underneath, rewrite the heading.

Inserting a name changes the line length unpredictably and can break the meaning. Keep headings stable and generic.

Subtext adds context that didn't fit the heading. If the information is critical, it belongs in the heading; if no one would miss it, skip the subtext.

Combining two ideas in one sentence makes both harder to absorb. Say one thing, then start a new sentence for the next.

Fragments feel incomplete and often force the user to infer meaning. Write in full sentences: subject, verb, outcome.

Write in active voice. Always address the user as "you". Never use "customer", "policyholder", "insured", or "claimant" unless legally required.

Bold amounts, dates, deadlines, and document names when they appear inline. Don't bold decoratively; use it only for information the user needs to act on or remember.

Start with what happened or what the user gets, not with ACKO's process.

An empty state is neutral: nothing has failed, so don't frame it as an error. Tell the user why the space is empty and what they can do.

A first-time empty state needs more context: the user doesn't know what this section is for yet. A cleared state (e.g. all notifications read) needs less.

If there's an obvious action to fill the state, include it. If the state is genuinely passive, don't force a CTA.

Frame errors around what happened, not what the user did wrong. Blame creates friction and damages trust.

Words like "Oops!", "Uh oh!", or exclamation marks make errors feel more alarming. Use calm, direct language instead.

Every error message must tell the user what to do next. An error with no next step leaves the user stranded.

Get to the point. Framing bad news with softening preamble ("We have some unfortunate news to share with you…") delays the information and reads as evasive.

Don't apologise for user errors, network issues, or things outside ACKO's control. When ACKO is genuinely at fault, say sorry, but don't follow it with "but".

A success state has two jobs: confirm what happened and tell the user what to expect next. Don't stop at confirmation alone.

When the context involves a claim, hospital, accident, or emergency, keep the tone calm and controlled. No exclamation marks, no emojis, no over-celebration.

Specific timelines reduce follow-up anxiety. Tell the user when they'll hear back, when money will arrive, or when the policy kicks in. Vague language creates doubt.

An alert that only states a trigger ("Your PUC is expiring") gives the user nothing to act on. Include the consequence so they understand why it matters, then give the action.

Specific numbers are more actionable than vague ones. "3 days" creates a deadline. "soon" creates vague unease.

Alerts should feel useful, not panicky. Don't overstate risk or use fear as the hook. State the risk plainly and give the user agency.

Generic loading messages tell the user nothing. Name the specific action so they know the system is working on the right thing.

If a process takes more than a few seconds, tell the user how long. A specific estimate is more reassuring than silence or vague language.

"Please" softens an instruction when the user is being asked to do something inconvenient, like wait. Use it here, but not as filler elsewhere.

Bottom sheets clarify something on the current screen or confirm an action the user is about to take. Don't use them to host primary flows or replace full screens.

If content needs more than half the screen, it's too much for a bottom sheet. Move it into info boxes, bullet points, or a dedicated screen.

When a bottom sheet is explaining something (not asking for a decision), the only CTA needed is "Got it". Don't use "Okay", "Continue", or "Close".

When a bottom sheet asks the user to decide, make both options clear. The secondary action is the escape: not "Cancel", but the specific thing they're keeping.

Helper text sits below the field and tells the user exactly what to enter. Keep it to one short sentence. Unlike a placeholder, it stays visible as they type, so this is where instructions belong.

Placeholder text disappears when the user starts typing, so it can't carry instructions the user might need mid-entry. Use it only for examples of valid input, not for rules.

Exclusions, waiting periods, deductibles, and co-pays must be stated clearly, not buried in small text at the bottom. If a user needs to know it before they decide, put it where they'll see it.

When asking for sensitive information (PAN, Aadhaar, health details, permissions), explain why before the user questions it. A one-line reason reduces drop-off.

Use sentence case everywhere. Capitalise only the first letter of the sentence. Use title case for proper nouns: product names, plans, places, ACKO.

Always use numerals. Never spell out numbers in product copy.

Use ₹. No space between ₹ and the number. Use Indian amount formats for large amounts: lakh, crore, not million or billion.

Always lowercase when spelled out. Never pluralise in amounts: "₹5 lakh", not "₹5 lakhs". For contractions in space-constrained UI, use L and Cr (uppercase). Avoid lowercase l; it reads as the number 1 in most typefaces. Avoid lowercase cr; it reads as "credit" in financial UI.

Always use the % symbol. Never write it out as a word.

Best format: 24 Jun 2026, abbreviated month, no comma. Drop the year when context makes it obvious; spell the month in full only when clarity needs it. Add the day of the week when it helps. Don't use ordinal suffixes (1st, 2nd, 24th).

Format: 9:00 AM. Include minutes for specific times. Drop them in a range with no minutes on either side: 9 AM to 7 PM. Always use AM/PM in caps with a space before it.

Don't end headings, subtext, buttons, or labels with a full stop. In body copy, use full stops normally, including after a single sentence.

Use sparingly, and only for genuinely light, promotional moments. Never in claims, health, accidents, payments, errors, or rejections. Even positive product confirmations (payment done, policy active) stay composed.

Use only for loading states. Don't use them to trail off or create suspense in copy.

Use only in low-risk marketing channels: push notifications, WhatsApp nudges, promotional emails. Never in claims, health, accident, payment, or emergency contexts.

Avoid ampersands unless space is extremely limited or the official product/legal name uses "&".

Use brackets only to clarify abbreviations or to add essential data that doesn't fit inline.

Use bullets to make lists scannable. One idea per bullet. Start each bullet with a capital letter. In body copy, a bullet that's a full sentence takes a full stop; a fragment doesn't. In UI lists (labels, chips, menu items), skip the full stop.

Use an en dash (–), not a hyphen, for number, money, and date ranges. Don't space it when both sides are plain numbers; add spaces when either side contains a space. For clock-time ranges, "to" reads more clearly than a dash. Use a hyphen only to join compound words.

Write directly to the user. Use "you" and "your". Never use "customer", "policyholder", "insured", or "claimant" unless legally required.

ACKO always refers to itself as "we" and "our" in product and customer-facing copy. Never use "ACKO" to refer to the company in the same sentence as "you"; it creates distance.

Contractions make writing sound human. Avoid them only in legal, regulatory, or formal disclosure copy where precision is required.

Active voice is clearer and shorter. Passive voice hides who's doing what, which erodes trust. Quick test: add "by zombies" after the verb; if the sentence still works, it's passive.

Use British English spelling. Indian schools follow British conventions, and it aligns with how most users read and write.

Use "please" purposefully: to soften a message, ask the user to wait, or ask for extra effort. Don't use it as filler where it adds nothing.

Apologise only when it's ACKO's fault. An apology doesn't always require the word "sorry"; acknowledge the situation and move to the solution.

Get to the point. State the fact, the cause, and the user's option. Don't build up to bad news with softening preamble; it reads as evasive and delays what the user needs.

Every English string should be easy to translate: one idea per sentence, active voice, no idioms or metaphors that don't travel, no cultural references that assume shared context. If a sentence is hard to read in English, it'll be harder to translate.

Translated strings are almost always longer than English. Hindi can expand by 20–30%, Kannada's script is visually denser, and European languages like German or French regularly run 30–40% longer. Never write UI copy that fills every pixel. If a label or heading looks tight in English, it'll break in translation.

WhatsApp is a personal channel. Users don't expect brand language here; they expect a person. The primary voice is insightful: give them something they didn't know they needed. Be useful or don't send.

Functional pushes, like claim approvals, payment reminders, policy expiry, and document requests, call for plain, direct copy. Say exactly what happened or what's needed, and stop.

Promotional pushes have a bit more room to lead with hook over instruction, but the principle holds: get to the point fast, earn the tap, never oversell.

Subject lines should say the actual thing. Email carries policy updates, renewal reminders, and claim communications: high-stakes moments where plain, direct writing matters most.

Life insurance is the hardest product to write. Most insurers lean on fear or mortality; we treat it as a financial decision that protects the people who depend on your income.

Life insurance protects against a financial shock, not an emotional one. Frame cover in numbers the user can match against their actual life: rent, EMIs, school fees, dependents, years of income to replace. The math does the persuasion.

A good rule of thumb: cover should be 10–20x annual income. Write it so the user can calculate it themselves.

• Flexible term plan / Customise your coverage
• Create a will for FREE
• Adjust your policy term
• Modify nominee details
• Choose how your nominees receive the payout
• Tax savings

How to explain life insurance terms in plain language.

Insurance exists because life can go wrong. We don't pretend otherwise. But we don't amplify it either. We name what's at stake, state it plainly, and let it land.

If a term is familiar to the user, use it, but always explain it. Call out terms like no-claim bonus, cumulative bonus, and porting, then break them down. Every line should sound the way someone says it out loud, not the way a contract reads.

Adjectives like significantly, rapidly, or widely feel like they add weight. They don't. "Hospitalisation expenses have gone up" is easy to dismiss; "gone up by 30%" stops the user cold. They feel the gap because they're seeing the math, not because we told them to.

• 100% hospital bills paid
• No room rent limits
• 10% bonus sum insured every year
• Zero waiting period (for members under 50)
• Cashless treatments at 11,300+ hospitals
• File reimbursement claim in 2 minutes
• Free yearly health check-ups
• Free doctor teleconsultations
• Tax deductions up to ₹75,000
• Zero wait discharge

Users arrive mid-decision or mid-crisis, so relieve the anxiety they carry. Be specific: give facts, not features, and name who acts. Lead with the outcome: "We pick up your car within 60 minutes," not "We have a doorstep pickup service."

• Instant policy
• Zero paperwork
• Zero commission
• No broker hassle
• Personalised pricing
• Cashless claims at any garage
• 24x7 support and roadside assistance
• No hidden terms
• Manage everything on the app
• Useful add-ons
• Quality repairs with warranty
• Free car pick-up and drop
• Priority repairs at ACKO partner garages
• VAS: Ambulance, Challan, FASTag, car service, car valuation, PUC expiry, RTO, buy a new car, challan alerts, visa, car servicing

Users are younger, price-sensitive, and sceptical that insurance can be simple. Lead with price: ₹457 beats a paragraph about cover. Keep the register lighter and faster than car, and make the claims story the hook: photo upload, money in the account in hours. Frame NCB as a reward ("you've earned this discount for riding safely"), not a calculation.

• Insurance starts at ₹457
• Zero fees, zero commission, zero paperwork
• 24x7 assistance
• Instant claim settlement
• Buy or renew online in 2 minutes

Users hit travel insurance at two moments: quickly before a trip, or urgently during one. Pre-trip, keep it clear and scannable; they're just confirming they're covered. Mid-trip, they're stressed, so lead with what's covered, what documents they need, and what to do next.

Key terms in enterprise insurance, and how to handle them by audience.

The user is the employer buying for hundreds or thousands of employees, with finance, HR, and IT all in the room.

Companies buy the category: Group Health Insurance. The cover their employees actually receive is the Group Medical Cover (GMC). Use "Group Health Insurance" for the product you're selling to the business; use "GMC" only for the employees' cover itself.

One idea per sentence. Don't chain clauses with "and", "which", or "that". If a sentence runs past 20 words, split it. Say what matters first; don't bury the point at the end.

If a simpler word means the same thing, use it. Avoid turning verbs into nouns ("make a decision" → "decide") and never use double negatives.

Common substitutions:

Use Hemingway AppA free readability checker that highlights complex sentences, passive voice, and hard-to-read copy. Aim for grade 6–7. to check the readability score across all product copy: app UI, notifications, emails, and landing pages. Anything above grade 10 needs a rewrite.

For legal disclosures, add a plain-language summary above the fine print.

ACKO's products are for everyone, regardless of age, gender, religion, income, occupation, health condition, or where in India they live. In examples, scenarios, and UI copy, don't default to a single type of user. Write as if it could be anyone.

ACKO writes to users in second person: "you" and "your". When a third party comes up, such as a nominee, a doctor, or an agent, keep it gender neutral. Don't default to "he" just because a role sounds gendered.

If you don't know someone's gender, restructure the sentence so no pronoun is needed; otherwise "they", "them", and "their" work. For a specific person, use the pronouns they go by, or their name when in doubt.

Insurance copy constantly references family. Use "the people who depend on you", "your family", or "your loved ones", not assumptions about who that is.