One of the difficulties Google encountered, according to The Wall Street Journal, is that auto insurance typically requires state-by-state approval. The publication also noted that Google failed to convince some big insurers and lenders to be part of Compare, leading to limited choices and people seeking answers elsewhere. Google didn't reveal whether it plans to pursue the niche again in the future -- Compare itself is the new version of Google Advisor -- and only said that it's focusing on AdWords for now.

Here's the full email to partners posted by Search Engine Land: