INSHUR appoints regional manager and starts new partnership following the rapid growth of operations in The Netherlands

INSHUR, the digital insurance platform for the commercial auto insurance sector, which launched in The Netherlands in August 2020, has confirmed the appointment of Anna-Maria van Leeuwen as Insurance Operations Manager. Following early traction, INSHUR has also agreed to a partnership with Van Ameyde to deliver local customer support and claims journeys for drivers.

In the Netherlands, the commercial auto insurance market has needed change; with a small number of analogue operators, there has been little innovation or growth. As a result, professional drivers who operate via platforms like Uber have suffered from high-premiums and poor service. 

In the first 12 weeks of our operations since launch, INSHUR’s traction and the response from drivers to our highly evolved digital insurance offer is evident. Selling the first policy within just a few hours of launching, we have now seen over 13,000 visits to our website and over 1,800 insurance quotes. Customers describe our product as a “great initiative” and “neatly handled”, contributing to their ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot. 

Adding new strength, Anna-Maria van Leeuwen brings 20 years of Insurance, Legal and start-up experience to the business. Having spent time at industry giants like Aon, ING and specialists like PartnerRe and Castel Underwriting. Van Leeuwen will lead the Dutch operations, building a specialist team, and driving the growth of current rideshare and future new product developments.  

Anna-Maria spoke about her appointment, saying: “The digital shift in many fintech sectors and specifically insurance has gathered incredible speed. I have been incredibly impressed by the growth of INSHUR in New York, the UK, and now the Netherlands. The digital insurance platform developed by INSHUR means new products are designed and launched in record time. We bring healthy competition to a Dutch commercial auto insurance market in need of modernisation. I’m delighted to be part of the team.”

Furthermore, a strategic partnership with Van Ameyde, Europe’s market leader in insurance services and claims management, has been announced. Aligned with our own digital DNA, Van Ameyde provides a highly automated Claims Suite. In the event of an accident or claim, the process ensures that drivers spend as little time as possible off the road. In this sector, any time off the road directly impacts the driver’s income. This solution leverages Fixico’s digital platform and network of body repair shops to help streamline and transform the end-to-end car repair handling process. Drivers easily submit damage claims online and claim handlers identify the optimal repair solution for each claim.

CEO of INSHUR, Dan Bratshpis, said: “This momentum and growth of our team in a strategically important territory, crowns a challenging but very successful year for INSHUR. Despite the external factors we all faced, we have delivered on our commitments to enter new territories and extend relationships with key new partners, like previously announced new capacity partner WAKAM and today, Van Ameyde. The Netherlands’ success puts us in a great position to bring digital innovation to the insurance space for drivers and provides a European base for future expansion in 2021.” 

Michael Akerboom, Associate Director of Business Development at Van Ameyde, said: “INSHUR is a great solution for a part of the market that traditionally has had challenges to obtain affordable insurance. We are excited to support INSHUR with our local experience, knowledge and technology to help them succeed in this market in a combined service provision with Fixico.”

Derk Roodhuyzen de Vries, CEO and co-founder of Fixico, said: “Uber drivers are already used to working with the greatest tech available. We are delighted to provide them with a seamless repair journey, as part of the fully digital and complete insurance experience we’ve created together with INSHUR and Van Ameyde”.