UK car insurer launches text quotation service

swiftcover.com has become the UK’s first motor insurer to introduce an innovative text facility to their service.

Swift Text, as the service will be known, will allow prospective motor insurance customers to get an insurance quote, direct to their mobile phone, in less than five minutes.

Developed by the company Text2Insure and using existing mobile phone SMS text capability or WAP, the service will work in the following four simple steps and be charged at the standard network rate:

1) Text SWIFT to 61066

Reply will ask for postcode, number of years no claims discount and date of birth

2) Text back the above info

Reply asks for car registration number, first name, surname and title

3) Text back the above info

Reply asks for occupation

4) Text back occupation

Reply provides quote and quote ID and directs the customer to swiftcoverbytext.co.uk where the customer can use their ID to access the quote and buy within minutes.

Andrew Blowers, Chief Executive of swiftcover.com comments: “Swift Text is a clear example of our commitment to innovation. In an era when many consider their lives to be negatively affected by time pressures, our aim is to enable consumers to purchase insurance quickly and at their convenience. A text system for quotes is a natural addition to our online service, where consumers can get quotes, buy and manage policies and make claims entirely online. Most importantly, we are providing digital solutions in an increasingly digitalised market, and cutting out the call centre which not only minimises frustration for the consumer, but allows us to deliver some of the cheapest premiums on the market.”

Commenting on the deal, Nicholas Thurlow, Director of Text2Insure, reiterates Blowers’ enthusiasm for the new text application: ”We are absolutely delighted with swiftcover.com’s decision to embrace Text2Insure’s technology. We believe the mobile channel will continue to take an increasingly important role in the distribution of insurance products and the launch of Swift Text is a vindication of this growing trend.”