Looks like the insurance industry is finally catching up with the rest of the financial services sector. The Ctrl app lets you do your car and household insurance without talking to anyone over the phone or making appointments! This is a first for South Africa.
What sets Ctrl apart
Although some brokers and insurers have their own apps, Ctrl is a digital broker built from the ground up to simplify the process of managing and buying the insurance you need, and not just a tool in the hands of more traditional models. Ctrl is a fully independent digital advisor that enables you to get comparable car and household insurance quotes, within minutes, from some of the country’s top insurers.
How it works
After downloading the app for free, you complete selected underwriting questions in your own time and your own space. You’ll receive quotes within minutes, after which a proprietary algorithm recommends the best cover based on your unique financial needs. (The quick financial needs analysis is also done through the app.) Once you click to accept the quote of your choice, you are covered immediately. You can then see what’s covered and what your premiums are in a wallet screen.
What makes Ctrl different
The difference between Ctrl and aggregators (like Hippo) or referral sites, is that Ctrl gives real quotes and not just indicative rates and once you accept a quote, Ctrl becomes your insurance advisor (broker) and stays with you all the way. Ctrl is available if you need to chat about your insurance queries, if you need emergency roadside assistance, or if you need to submit a claim. Although this is revolutionary for South Africa, the digital broker model has already seen tremendous growth in popularity globally and is definitely the way of the future.
The story behind the app
The fact that so many people don’t have a clue what they’re covered for, how to compare quotes to each other, or what their schedule’s fine print says, got three friends thinking about coming up with a workable solution. Their goal was to make life just a little bit easier for everyone who needed insurance and that’s just about everybody!
So, Pieter Venter, Francois Venter (no relation) and Pieter Erasmus put their extensive combined experience in the insurance and banking industries on the table and started building an app.
It’s against this backdrop of cooperation that Ctrl started taking shape – at exactly the point where technology and insurance meet and where innovation and experience are equally important.
It’s been a journey of more than two years and the team has grown to 15 members. Ctrl has received funding and won several prizes and awards, including the highly sought after MTN App of the Year Award for Best Financial Solution in 2018.
There are already six trusted insurers to choose from on the platform with new features and product offerings constantly being worked on and developed in conjunction with the insurers to offer customers the best insurance money can buy. There are lots of exciting plans for the future, but feel free to download the app and see for yourself.
You can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter and the app is available to download for free from the Google Play Store or App Store if you want to get an obligation free quote.
