A user starts purchasing travel insurance but does not complete the process. Instead of starting all over again, they can receive a call from an agent who answers questions, helps them continue where they left off and, after the conversation, sends a secure payment link. The difference is that the voice on the other end is not human, but the new AI voice agent from LAQO, the first such agent for insurance sales on the Croatian market.
This is one of the new developments with which Croatia’s first fully digital insurer is marking six years in business. LAQO, a tech innovation of Croatia osiguranje, which operates within the Adris Group, has sold more than 300,000 policies during that period, recorded two million policy calculations and more than 13 million website visits. The fastest policy was purchased in 58 seconds.
Today, it offers four fully digital products: vehicle, property, travel and pet insurance. The new voice agent currently helps users choose and purchase travel insurance by contacting those who started but did not complete a purchase. After the conversation, the policy is delivered by email and through the LAQO app.
At the same time, LAQO GPT, the digital assistant available via WhatsApp, has also been expanded. After travel insurance, it now also helps users purchase mandatory motor third-party liability and comprehensive vehicle insurance. The brand has also launched its own LAQO WhatsApp channel, stating that it is the first insurer in Croatia to introduce this form of direct communication with users.
“When we launched LAQO, there was debate about whether the Croatian market was ready for fully digital insurance. Today, 300,000 insurance policies sold speak for themselves. We have proven that simplicity, transparency and care for clients pay off. We see this in the results, as for the sixth year in a row we are growing twice as fast as the market. LAQO has grown into the leading fully digital insurance brand in Croatia, and through its innovations and recognitions has positioned itself alongside leading digital products in Europe and globally. However, an even more important recognition comes directly from our clients. We record a high policy renewal rate, which confirms that we deliver long-term value to users. From day one, our goal has been to push boundaries, and we have not stopped doing so – from telematics and gamification to the use of artificial intelligence. We still want to stay one step ahead, develop new solutions and in this way provide clients with even greater value and a reason to stay with us,” says Ana Zovko, Executive Director for Digital Business and IT at Croatia osiguranje.
From purchasing a policy to a system that rewards usage
Over the past year, technology has not been developed solely around the process of purchasing insurance. LAQOsfera was designed as a digital loyalty ecosystem in which users collect points by purchasing policies and engaging with the app, and can then use those points to reduce the price when purchasing or renewing any policy.
Points can also be spent in LAQO Butik, the first insurance webshop on the Croatian market, where users can exchange them for products and benefits, including the Pavle Pauq plush toy. The third part of the system is LAQOpedija, where completing quizzes earns additional points.
“For us, a good customer experience does not end with the purchase of a policy. We want clients to receive more throughout their entire relationship with our brand – a simple experience, relevant services and benefits that have real value. That is why we developed LAQOsfera, a loyalty programme through which we additionally reward our clients. After six years, we know them much better, we learn from their needs and, based on that, continuously improve the experience. Our goal is for clients not to stay with us only because they need insurance, but because LAQO gives them new reasons to stay year after year,” said Marko Ćosić, Director of the Digital Business Sector.
Property insurance without visiting a branch
Alongside vehicle, travel and pet insurance, LAQO also offers property insurance as part of its digital portfolio. LAQO Imovina enables users to purchase insurance for an apartment or house entirely digitally, without paperwork or visiting a branch, while allowing them to choose whether they want to insure the building, household contents or both, and to add additional coverage as needed.
The premium is charged monthly by card, and after the first 12 months, clients can cancel the policy at any time. The entire process, from purchasing the policy to reporting and tracking a claim, takes place digitally via the app or website.
The brand continues to build its relationship with the technology community through LAQOthon. The competition for individuals and teams developing technological solutions aimed at a more sustainable society will enter its fifth edition next year. More than 860 applications were received across the previous four editions, while more than EUR 50,000 was awarded for the implementation of the best projects. In the next edition, the three best projects will share a prize fund of EUR 18,000.
Six years after the question of whether the market was ready for fully digital insurance, the development of LAQO is increasingly about more than simply moving existing processes onto a screen. The voice agent, WhatsApp communication, loyalty programme and digital policy management show the direction in which the brand is seeking to connect insurance purchase, use and renewal into a single customer experience.
