HomeFundingLondon-based Zego secures about €1.4 million to provide pay-as-you-work insurance for gig...

London-based Zego secures about €1.4 million to provide pay-as-you-work insurance for gig economy drivers

Zego, the Uk-based provider of pay-as-you-go insurance for drivers and riders who work flexibly with their own vehicles, has raised about €1.4 million in a seed funding round led by LocalGlobe. The fresh capital comes as Zego launches its first product for car drivers, which is fully underwritten by Aviva.

Founded in 2016 (initially under the brand name Tego), Zego provides specialist pay-as-you-ride insurance to drivers working for sharing economy companies – including Deliveroo, UberEATS, Jinn and Amazon. All car, bike and scooter drivers are required by law to be insured for the periods that they are delivering, but the expense and difficulty of buying a policy can be a sticking point in signing up new drivers, as until now there have only been annual policies available.

The Zego founders believe that insurance must adapt to the new ways of working where many people only want to work for a few hours or days a week, around their other commitments or interests. The company wants to empower people to work the way they choose, by providing an affordable flexible product at a cost that is proportionate to the hours worked.

Since August 2016, Zego has been selling a flexible pay-as-you-go product to scooter drivers and is about to launch a motor policy for food and courier delivery drivers who use their cars. The policy is payable by the hour and is offered nationwide. It is suitable for food delivery and for courier drivers working from their homes on a flexible basis.

Fees for the scooter policy start from 65p an hour up to £25 a week, while insuring a car can cost as little as £1 an hour. Given that underwriting premiums are based on track record and past claims, there is the potential for premiums to become even cheaper for drivers with a safe driving record. Zego is building telematics functionality into the app, to give an accurate picture of how its customers drive. Zego’s cover is bought through an app and drivers top up their account like an Oyster card or  pay-as-you-go mobile. Accounts are debited after a shift is worked. To date, Zego has written 400,000 hours of cover for drivers.

Zego was founded by three tech entrepreneurs with first hand experience of crowd-sourced companies. They will use the fresh capital to further accelerate the tech development and to increase the startups’ technical team. The product for small engine scooters is already available across the UK, although the biggest demand is in London and other big cities.

Harry Franks, co-founder and CEO of Zego said: “We want to empower people across Europe to work in the way that suits their life and commitments. We’re targeting part-time drivers with a product that is particularly tailored to help them get the most out of work. Buying insurance should be quick and easy, mobile, flexible and transparent. You should only have to pay when you earn and that way our insurance helps you to work and take control of your expenses.”

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Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr is the "Editor in Chief" of EU-Startups.com and started the blog in October 2010. He is excited about Europe's future, passionate about new business ideas and lives in Barcelona (Spain).
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