SureStart

What SureStart does

SureStart Online Financial Services (Pty) Ltd is a South African digital insurance broker founded in 2016 and headquartered in Cape Town. Operating under a Category I Financial Services Provider license (FSP 47233) granted under the FAIS Act, the company enables B2B2C insurance distribution through three channels: API integration (for high-volume platforms embedding insurance into checkout flows), whitelabel websites (for products requiring underwriting questions), and an affiliate network (using tokenized tracking links to whitelabel sites). Partners include SweepSouth (home contents and all-risk cover), Pargo (goods in transit), Old Mutual (extended warranty), and insurers CHUBB, iTOO, Mutual and Federal, and Guardrisk underwriting the product portfolio.

The company owns and operates a portfolio of sub-brands targeting niche insurance verticals: Travelsafe (leisure travel), Drone Covered (leisure and commercial drone), Eyethu Funeral (WhatsApp-purchasable funeral cover), Comma Insure (on-demand personal items cover via WhatsApp), SureThing (all-in-one SME liability from R1,000/month), and Cyber Go (SME cyber cover from R255/month). SureStart also acquired insurance comparison site CompareGuru in 2019, which is being repositioned into a fully click-to-buy insurance marketplace. All whitelabel and API infrastructure is powered by the Briisk Instant Transaction Platform, the technology partner from which SureStart originated.

The business model is commission-based: SureStart earns commissions from product suppliers (insurers) for policies distributed via its three channels, plus fees for distribution and support services. The company provides full operational support to partners including compliance, marketing, inbound support, and claims handling. Key Individuals Hanno Van Aarde and Matthew Farquhar oversee the operation under FAIS regulatory requirements. AI capability is limited to Salesforce Einstein powering the WhatsApp bot for Eyethu Funeral Cover.

Name

SureStart

Legal name

Surestart Online Financial Services (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://surestart.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SureStart is a South African digital insurance broker that enables businesses to distribute niche insurance products via API, whitelabel, and affiliate channels without obtaining their own FSP license.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Insurance Distribution

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Embedded Insurance & Affinity Distribution Platforms (FSAGAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Underwriting, Pricing & Policy Administration (PAS) for Travel Insurance (THALALAK), Assistance & Claims Management Platforms (FNOL, TPA Tech) (THALALAF)

Keywords

• Digital insurance distribution
• Embedded insurance API
• Insurance broker services
• Whitelabel insurance solutions
• B2B2C insurance platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commission and Fees: SureStart earns income from commissions and/or fees in respect of financial services rendered. Income is earned from insurers (product suppliers) and disclosed to clients. The company also earns commission from tracked affiliate sales through tokenized whitelabel links.
2. Insurance Distribution Commission: As a digital broker/intermediary, SureStart receives commissions from insurers for distributing their insurance products through API, whitelabel, and affiliate channels. The company also earns from fees for services rendered.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SureStart is a South African digital insurance broker (FSP 47233) that enables businesses to distribute insurance products through three channels: API integration, whitelabel websites, and an affiliate network. The company sources insurance products from insurers and embeds them into partner platforms' checkout flows, fee structures, or branded websites, handling compliance, marketing, inbound support, and claims on behalf of partners. It also operates its own consumer-facing whitelabel brands (Travelsafe, Drone Covered, Eyethu Funeral, Comma Insure) and SME products (SureThing, Cyber Go).

Product overview

SureStart is a specialist digital insurance broker enabling B2B2C insurance distribution through three core channels: API integration, Whitelabel solutions, and an Affiliate network. The core API Distribution Solutions allow high-volume platform businesses to embed insurance products into checkout flows. The Whitelabel Solutions provide custom-branded click-to-buy insurance websites. The Affiliate Network enables partners to promote whitelabel products through unique tokenized links. The product portfolio includes SME insurance products (SureThing all-in-one liability and Cyber Go cyber insurance), travel insurance (Travelsafe), drone insurance (Drone Covered), funeral cover (Eyethu, purchasable via WhatsApp), on-demand personal property insurance (Comma Insure), and various API products for goods in transit, home contents, collision damage waiver, and ticket cancellation. The company also acquired CompareGuru in 2019, an insurance comparison marketplace. All whitelabels and APIs are powered by the Briisk Instant Transaction Platform technology partner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Travelsafe: Click-to-buy outbound leisure travel insurance product underwritten by CHUBB Insurance South Africa Limited.
• Drone Covered
• Cyber Go
• SureThing
• Eyethu Funeral
• Comma Insure

Products and services

• API Distribution Solutions API-based insurance distribution channel enabling platform businesses and e-commerce websites to embed insurance products into checkout flows or fees. Supports two positioning models: embedded value-add (business pays the premium) and customer buy-up (customer opts in and pays). Designed for high-volume platforms.
• Whitelabel Solutions Custom-branded insurance websites created by SureStart that connect click-to-buy insurance products requiring underwriting questions not suited to embedded APIs. SureStart retains the option to whitelabel select products for partners.
• Affiliate Network Partner network where affiliates receive unique tokenized links to whitelabel websites, enabling commission sharing on completed sales. Suitable for stores selling complementary products that want to refer customers to insurance offerings.
• Travelsafe Click-to-buy outbound leisure travel insurance product underwritten by CHUBB Insurance South Africa Limited, sold through SureStart's whitelabel channel to South African consumers.
• Drone Covered Leisure and commercial drone insurance covering drones in-flight and providing third-party liability cover. Available as a whitelabel product to South African drone owners and operators.
• Eyethu Funeral Cover Individual and group funeral cover product purchasable fully through a WhatsApp bot built with Salesforce Einstein, underwritten by Guardrisk, and accepting 1 For You vouchers as payment. Includes funeral parlour group schemes.
• Comma Insure On-demand theft, loss and damage cover that can be turned on and off through WhatsApp. Covers laptops, tablets, cameras, sound and gaming equipment, sporting equipment, electronic wrist devices, bicycles, wheelchairs, GPSs, and camping/caravan equipment.
• SureThing South Africa's first and only all-in-one, all-risk third-party legal liability policy for small businesses. Covers public liability, product liability, defective workmanship, care/custody/control, defamation, pollution, employment practices liability, excess motor liability, employers liability, cyber liability, directors & officers liability, professional indemnity liability, and trustee liability. Priced at R1000/month.
• Cyber Go 1st and 3rd party cyber insurance for small businesses covering cyber extortion and malware, denial of service, downstream attacks, hacking, insider and privilege misuse, physical theft and loss, and threats from third-party access. Available from R255/month as a standalone policy or top-up to SureThing.
• SweepSouth Home Contents and All Risk API-embedded All Risk and Home Contents insurance for SweepSouth's booking flow, covering typical breakages during domestic workers' (SweepStars) duties. Built in collaboration with CHUBB Insurance South Africa Limited.
• Pargo Goods in Transit API-embedded goods in transit insurance for Pargo's click-and-collect service, covering lost, theft or damage to parcels in transit and during loading/offloading. Built with TPI (a UMA with Mutual and Federal Risk Financing Limited).
• Extended Warranty (Old Mutual) Extended warranty insurance product offered through a whitelabel partnership with Old Mutual, distributed via SureStart's whitelabel channel.
• CompareGuru Insurance comparison website acquired by SureStart in 2019, predominantly focusing on Motor and Household Insurance and being expanded into a fully click-to-buy insurance marketplace.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of people and items insured monthly through digital distribution

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Briisk Instant Transaction PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner powering all of SureStart's whitelabels and APIs. Founded in 2016 as the enabler of Briisk Instant Transaction Platform in South Africa, SureStart emerged from this platform.
• SweepSouthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSweepSouth is a platform connecting homeowners to domestic workers (SweepStars). SureStart created All Risk & Home Contents insurance embedded in booking flow, covering breakages during domestic workers' duties. Collaboration with CHUBB Insurance South Africa Limited.
• PargocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading click-and-collect and returns solution for online and omni-channel businesses. SureStart partnered with TPI (a UMA with Mutual and Federal Risk Financing Limited) to create standalone Goods in Transit product embedded in Pargo's fee. Covers lost, theft or damage to parcels in transit.
• CHUBB Insurance South Africa LimitedcoreOthersInsurer partner for SweepSouth All Risk & Home Contents insurance and Travelsafe leisure travel insurance products.
• TPI (with Mutual and Federal Risk Financing Limited)coreOthersUnderwriting Management Agent (UMA) partnered with for Pargo's Goods in Transit insurance product.
• Mutual and Federal Risk Financing LimitedcoreOthersInsurer for Pargo's Goods in Transit product and original Drone Covered leisure drone insurance.
• iTOO (Hollard UMA)coreOthersUnderwriter for Drone Covered commercial drone insurance policy and Cyber Go cyber insurance products offered through SureStart's SME insurance offerings.
• Eyethu FuneralmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWhitelabel funeral cover product unique for full purchase through WhatsApp. Built with Salesforce Einstein by TPI, underwritten by Guardrisk, accepts 1 For You vouchers as payment. Also partnering with funeral parlours for group schemes.
• Comma InsuremajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-demand insurance whitelabel for theft, loss and damage cover that can be turned on/off through WhatsApp. Covers laptops, tablets, cameras, sporting equipment, bicycles, and more.
• CompareGurumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance comparison website acquired in 2019. Predominantly focuses on Motor and Household Insurance but being expanded to become a fully click-to-buy insurance marketplace.
• Moonstone Compliance (Pty) LtdcoreOthersSureStart's compliance officer ensuring regulatory adherence to FAIS Act and other financial services regulations. Located at 25 Quantum Street, Technopark, Stellenbosch, 7600.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pineapple Insurance: South African digital-first insurer focused on on-demand and short-term personal insurance sold via mobile app. Comparable as a digitally native South African insurance distributor targeting underserved consumer segments with a frictionless product experience.
• Naked Insurance: South African AI-driven short-term insurance challenger using an app-based, fully digital model. Comparable as a South African insurtech competing on customer experience, simplicity, and digital distribution rather than traditional broker channels.
• Honeybadger: South African insurance aggregator and comparison platform. Comparable as a digital insurance distribution intermediary targeting South African consumers online, similar in proposition to SureStart's CompareGuru asset.

Broad incumbents

• Santam: Largest short-term insurer in South Africa, distributing through brokers and direct digital channels. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same geography whose underwriting relationships and brand compete for the same SME and consumer segments SureStart targets.
• Discovery Insure: Large South African insurer using telematics and incentive-based models to distribute personal lines directly. Comparable as a broad South African incumbent with digital distribution capability and brand power competing in the same geography.
• Root, Inc. US-based insurtech using a mobile app and telematics to underwrite and distribute auto insurance directly. Comparable as an established digital-first insurance distributor that bypasses traditional brokers with proprietary technology.
• Old Mutual Insure: Major South African insurer offering life, property, and casualty products through intermediary and direct channels. SureStart already partners with Old Mutual on extended warranty, making Old Mutual both a supplier and a competing distribution channel.

Direct peers

• Zego: UK-based insurtech providing embedded and on-demand insurance products (gig economy, mobility, commercial) via API and platform integrations. Comparable to SureStart in API-first embedded distribution model targeting platform businesses.
• Click2Sure: South African embedded insurance platform offering API-based distribution of niche products (travel, gadget, motor) to e-commerce businesses. Highly comparable to SureStart in geography, technology approach (API-first embedded insurance), and target partner base.

Regional players

• Simply Financial Services: South African financial services and insurance intermediary operating in the same local market. Comparable as a South African insurance intermediary providing digital distribution and advisory services to consumers and SMEs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surestart-online-financial-services-pty-ltd-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SureStart