Original text here from Patrice Bernard (LinkedIn)
In a revival of a long-standing dream that has yet to find real success, Dutch startup Surebird has just raised over €1 million to develop its vision of an “insurance companion”—a smart evolution of the traditional comparison site, designed to help users continuously maintain the best coverage at the best price.
While most consumers now rely on web-based comparison tools when shopping for insurance—typically during life events like buying a new car or moving house—these platforms have an inherent limitation: they only respond to explicit, moment-in-time queries. Very few people take the time to regularly verify whether their current policy still meets their needs.
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That’s the gap Surebird wants to fill. It positions itself as a kind of virtual assistant. Users begin by uploading details of their existing policies. From there, Surebird scans for coverage gaps and suggests cheaper alternatives. Even better, it can initiate an annual review, assessing changes in the user’s life, identifying areas for improved coverage, and always scouting for better deals on existing protections.
The platform currently covers common insurance categories: home, auto, caravans, personal liability, accident, legal protection, and travel insurance. Plans are underway to add health and pet insurance soon. Surebird claims to work with a broad portfolio of insurers across the Netherlands, enabling it to offer optimized recommendations and a high degree of personalization.
As is typical in this space, the startup emphasizes how users can better control rising costs, especially as premiums are climbing and insurers tend to take advantage of customer inertia—offering better deals to new clients while letting longstanding ones bear the brunt of price hikes.
However, what truly sets Surebird apart is its adaptability to changing life circumstances. Traditional insurers and their intermediaries rarely check in to reassess a customer's situation or suggest policy updates. Surebird fills this gap, with a system designed to automatically detect evolving needs or, at the very least, prompt users for a manual periodic review through the app.
