Telesure Investment Holdings

What Telesure Investment Holdings does

Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH) is a privately held South African holding company, established in 1998 and domiciled in Dainfern, Midrand, operating as a subsidiary of Guernsey-based Budget Holdings Ltd. Through six wholly-owned short-term insurance brands — Auto&General (flagship, founded 1985), Budget Insurance, 1st for Women, Dialdirect, Renasa, and Virseker — plus the 1Life brand acquired in 2024, TIH distributes auto, home, and personal-lines coverage to 10M+ customers across South Africa, the UK, Australia, France, China, and Singapore. Distribution spans proprietary telephonic sales (originated in 1985 as an industry first), direct brand websites, the hippo.co.za price comparison marketplace, the Renasa broker channel, the Wealthport investment platform for Independent Financial Advisers, and a 2026 strategic preferred-insurer partnership with Uber South Africa.

The group operates on a recurring premium revenue model with monthly billing across subscription-based short-term and life insurance products, priced via computerized scientific risk rating and sold through segmented brand propositions targeting mainstream consumers (Auto&General), price-sensitive buyers (Budget), women (1st for Women), brokers (Renasa), Afrikaans-speaking communities (Virseker), and innovation-oriented customers (Dialdirect). Technology assets include paperless computerized underwriting, voice-recording sales infrastructure, and a crash-detection smartphone app. Headcount stands at 11,000+ across TIH and related operations, with the business governed as a licensed controlling company under South African insurance regulation and led by Khaya Gobodo, who assumed the CEO role in December 2025 after a 38-year tenure by his predecessor.

Name

Telesure Investment Holdings

Legal name

Telesure Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://tihsa.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Telesure Investment Holdings is a privately held South African insurance holding company operating six short-term insurance brands (Auto&General, Budget, 1st for Women, Dialdirect, Renasa, Virseker) plus hippo.co.za price comparison and Wealthport investment platform, serving 10M+ customers across six countries as a subsidiary of Budget Holdings Ltd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Short-term Insurance

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Life Insurance (6311), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Annuities & Investment-Linked Insurance Solutions (Retail) (FSAAAAAM)

Keywords

• Short-term insurance
• Personal insurance coverage
• Insurance price comparison
• Investment management platform
• Direct life insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Midrand

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Short-term Insurance Premiums: Core revenue from insurance premiums across multiple brands (Auto&General, Budget Insurance, Dialdirect, Virseker, Renasa) covering auto, home, and other personal insurance lines. Premiums collected on recurring basis from policyholders.
2. Life Insurance Premiums: Revenue from life insurance products through subsidiary operations, including telephonic and direct life insurance distribution.
3. E-hailing Insurance: Specialized insurance products for Uber drivers and e-hailing vehicles, offered through preferred insurer partnership with Uber South Africa.
4. Price Comparison Services: hippo.co.za generates leads and delivers tailor-made insurance solutions for comparison, driving customer acquisition across TIH brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

TIH is the holding company for a multi-brand portfolio of short-term insurance providers serving more than 10 million customers across South Africa, the UK, Australia, France, China and Singapore. The portfolio includes six insurance brands (Auto&General, Budget Insurance, 1st for Women, Dialdirect, Renasa, Virseker) covering auto, home, and personal insurance lines, plus the hippo.co.za price comparison service and the Wealthport investment platform for Independent Financial Advisers.

Product overview

Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH) operates a multi-brand, multi-product insurance portfolio consisting of six short-term insurance brands (Auto&General Insurance, Budget Insurance South Africa, 1st for Women, Dialdirect Insurance, Renasa, and Virseker), complemented by two service platforms (hippo.co.za for price comparison and Wealthport for investment management). The brands target different market segments—from budget-conscious consumers to women-focused safety products and Afrikaans-speaking communities—while sharing the ethos of providing peace of mind to customers. TIH's brands range from direct-to-consumer models (Auto&General, Dialdirect) to broker-focused offerings (Renasa) and affinity-based products (1st for Women, Virseker). The portfolio also includes specialized e-hailing insurance developed in partnership with Uber, marking TIH's entry into the ride-hailing insurance segment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Auto&General Insurance: Short-term insurance brand committed to being there for customers when 'suddenly' happens.
• Budget Insurance South Africa
• 1st for Women
• Dialdirect Insurance
• Renasa
• Virseker
• hippo.co.za
• Wealthport
• 1st for Women Foundation

Products and services

• Auto&General Insurance Short-term insurance brand committed to being there for customers, brokers, and partners when 'suddenly' happens, providing coverage across auto, home, and personal lines. The brand was the first in the world to employ paperless, computerized and scientific risk rating underwriting and is the customer experience leader in South African short-term insurance.
• Budget Insurance South Africa

Quantifiable outcome

• Auto&General CE Index score of 73.7, leading the South African short-term insurance industry above industry average of 69.5
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Uber South AfricaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026After years of negotiations, TIH (through Auto&General Insurance, Budget Insurance South Africa, 1st for Women, and Dialdirect Insurance) appointed as official preferred insurer for Uber in South Africa. TIH offers e-hailing insurance cover designed specifically with drivers and their vehicles in mind. Partnership celebrated with official launch at Uber's offices, marking beginning of exciting collaboration.
• LEAP Maths and Science SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH provides grants to LEAP in Diepsloot covering educational materials, breakfast and lunch, matric study camps, evening sessions for grades 11 and 12, and teaching/tutor costs. Goal is to provide high-quality education and support for economically disadvantaged learners from grades 8 to 12 with focus on maths and science.
• OLICO Maths Education NPCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH supports OLICO Maths Education in Diepsloot since 2018. Initiative has grown from 25 Maths Clubs helping 300 learners to 122 clubs reaching 1,816 learners (as of 2024). OLICO uses sense-making and confidence-building approach to make maths accessible through fun, interactive methods.
• University of ZululandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH bursary programme partner for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies supporting historically disadvantaged tertiary learners in insurance-related fields.
• University of Western CapeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH bursary programme partner for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies supporting historically disadvantaged tertiary learners in insurance-related fields.
• North-West UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH bursary programme partner for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies supporting historically disadvantaged tertiary learners in insurance-related fields.
• University of LimpopominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH bursary programme partner for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies supporting historically disadvantaged tertiary learners in insurance-related fields.
• University of PretoriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Customer Experience research (Industry Chair in CE led by Prof. Adré Schreuder) and actuarial talent attraction at Career Fair 2026 where TIH engaged with 300+ Actuarial Science students.
• Ntataise TrustminorStrategic or Co-development Partner1st for Women Foundation partner equipping learners with social and emotional intelligence and values-based skills to break cycle of violence and discriminatory mindsets through RiseUp Against GBV programme.
• REPSSIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner1st for Women Foundation partner with programmes designed to boost self-esteem, physical awareness and body consciousness training for girls and Peace is a Decision Programme for boys.
• NACOSAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner1st for Women Foundation partner known for uplifting community organisations and facilitating services in Thuthuzela Care Centres nationwide. Setting up first post-violence care facility in Diepsloot with Gauteng Department of Health.
• Action Breaks Silence (ABS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-led organisation in UK and South Africa offering holistic self-defence programme to empower communities to stop violence against women and girls. Includes Train-the-Trainer, Empowerment Workshops, and Primary School Programme.
• Lawyers Against Abuse (LvA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner1st for Women Foundation partner providing comprehensive community-based support programme for GBV survivors from trauma care to legal help.
• The Diepsloot FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH plays crucial role in maintaining employment opportunities and ensuring TDF's ongoing training and development programmes. TDF offers ABET, Digital Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Carpentry, Sewing, ECD, Healthcare, Social Relief, and Food Security Programme.
• YES (Youth Employment Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIH among first to join YES when President Ramaphosa challenged corporate South Africa in 2018. Created over 1,100 job opportunities for young South Africans across various sectors including insurance, IT, HR, marketing, hospitality, administration, and more.
• Harambee Youth Employment AcceleratorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYES programme candidates recruited through Harambee, which specializes in connecting employment-ready youth with opportunities across South Africa.
• Compare the Market (UK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK operations of TIH/Budget Holdings serving UK consumers with price comparison and insurance services.
• Smile FMminorGTM or Marketing Partner1st for Women partnership with Smile FM radio station for GBV awareness initiative, raising over R179,000 split between The Saartjie Baartman Centre and 1st for Women Foundation.
• Department of Basic Education (SPEAK UP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner1st for Women Foundation supports SPEAK UP tech-enabled solution providing South African youth with sex education via cellphones through short, interactive animated videos with subtitles.
• University of JohannesburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner at LEAP Career Day with information stations giving learners exposure to tertiary education options and helping connect school subjects to future studies and careers.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Santam: South Africa's largest short-term insurer, operating across personal, commercial, and specialist lines through direct, broker, and partner channels. Direct competitor to TIH's Auto&General and Budget brands in the same market, and a former employer of TIH board member Kevin Wright.
• Admiral Group: UK-based multi-brand motor and household insurer whose portfolio includes Admiral, Elephant, Diamond, and Veygo, alongside the Compare the Market price comparison platform. Closest international peer to TIH's multi-brand plus price-comparison model.
• Mutual & Federal: Historic South African short-term insurer now consolidated into Old Mutual, with deep broker and commercial lines heritage. Direct competitor to TIH's Renasa broker brand and a former employer of TIH board member Kevin Wright.
• Hollard Insurance Group: Large South African insurance group with a multi-brand, multi-channel distribution model across short-term, life, and investment products. Closest direct analogue to TIH's portfolio strategy of operating several complementary insurance brands.
• Discovery Insure: South African insurer built on telematics, Vitality-linked behavioural incentives, and direct-to-consumer digital distribution. Competes with TIH's Dialdirect and 1st for Women in the innovation-led consumer segment.
• Direct Line Group: UK direct insurer operating direct-to-consumer and partnership channels across motor, home, and rescue. Closely aligned to TIH's Auto&General and Dialdirect direct-distribution model and customer profile.

Emerging players

• Lemonade: US-headquartered digital-first insurtech using AI and behavioural economics to underwrite and serve customers. Comparable to TIH as a technology-led challenger pressing on the same consumer insurance category with a different cost structure.
• Root Inc: US insurtech using smartphone telematics to price auto insurance. Direct adjacency to TIH's pioneering crash-detection smartphone app and e-hailing insurance strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Standard Bank Group: Largest African banking group by assets, distributing short-term and life insurance through its branch and digital channels. Competes with TIH for the same mainstream South African consumer wallet through bancassurance.
• Old Mutual Limited: Pan-African financial services group with a substantial short-term and life insurance arm in South Africa, plus wealth management. Broader incumbent with overlapping products and a former employer of TIH CEO Khaya Gobodo.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telesure-investment-holdings
• Xx.com/telesure

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Telesure Investment Holdings