InsureandGo was founded in 2000 in Braintree, Essex, United Kingdom, where they were based for the next six years. In November 2005, InsureandGo claimed to be one of the first companies to remove the terrorism exclusion clause from their policies. InsureandGo also said that they had led the travel insurance market in doing this and urged other companies to do the same. Due to the company's expansion, InsureandGo relocated to new offices in Southend-on-Sea in 2006, with the effect of bringing new jobs to the area. The company had bought Southend-based Travel Claims Services in September of the previous year. In December 2006, InsureandGo hired chartered accountants BDO Stoy Hayward to explore its options, including the possibility of selling the company for a reported £100 million. In August 2009, InsureandGo began giving customers the chance to offset their carbon emissions when they purchase a travel insurance policy. The company launched a new product called travel dispute cover in early 2010. The cover, which could be purchased in addition to one of InsureandGo's travel insurance policies, provided legal assistance to travellers who had a contract breached by their tour operators, travel agents or hoteliers. In May 2013, InsureandGo sponsored a one-day event in London called 'The World on Regent Street'. The event included activities and displays from a range of different countries, including China, Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago and Turkey. During the summer of 2014, InsureandGo gave away free ice cream at London'sCanary Wharf and the South Bank as part of its 'Around the World in 80 Scoops' event. The ice cream was manufactured by Southend-based Rossi Ice Cream, and featured strange flavours which had been inspired by different countries. In November 2015, it was announced that InsureandGo would be relocating most of its UK operations to Bristol.
Going international
In early 2010, InsureandGo launched a range of travel insurance products for residents of Australia. In October 2011, InsureandGo launched in the Republic of Ireland.
insurance company MAPFRE ASISTENCIA purchased InsureandGo in October 2010 for an undisclosed sum. InsureandGo is now a wholly owned subsidiary of MAPFRE Asistencia Compañia Internacional de Seguros y Reaseguros Sociedad Anonima, which forms part of the MAPFRE Group.
Awards and recognition
InsureandGo was named in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list, which ranks Britain's fastest growing privately held companies by growth in sales over the previous 3 years. They were included in the list in 2005 and 2006. In 2008, InsureandGo was awarded twice at the Fast Growth Business Awards. The company was named the T-Mobile Fast Growth Business of the Year and was also named Online Business of the Year. InsureandGo was voted Best Travel Insurance Provider For Customer Service and Most Trusted Travel Insurance Provider at the Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2009. InsureandGo was chosen as TNT Magazine's 'Favourite Insurance Provider' in their Golden Backpack Awards 2012. At The Travel Marketing Awards 2016, InsureandGo won a Silver award for Best Radio Advertising.
