Swedish Insurtech Lassie has launched in the UK, setting a new standard for pet claims. Lassie has curated a prevention first pet insurance model that combines AI powered claims handling, gamified health rewards, and personalised pet care guidance through a single app.

Lassie was co-founded in Stockholm in 2020 by CEO Hedda Båverud Olsson, who grew up watching her veterinarian mother becoming frustrated by treating pets only after preventable or manageable conditions had progressed into more serious illnesses requiring more complex and expensive care.

The UK is undoubtably a nation of animal lovers; however, statistically more than 20 million dogs and cats currently have no insurance coverage. The reason for this may well be that many owners find policies confusing, as well as ever escalating premiums and exclusions being increasingly broad.

A new era of pet claims 

This is where Lassie comes in. Lassie is as much a pet wellbeing app, as well as an insurer. The app is available free of charge for pet owners regardless of whether they have a policy or not. It offers educational content and tailored health guidance based on your pet’s age and breed as well as offering vaccination reminders and activity tracking. 

What makes this different is the platform encourages proactive care by awarding users points for completing activities that maintain their pet’s health, which translates into rewards including lower insurance premiums, discounts and loyalty benefits. This bridges the gap between the insurers and consumers, creating a relationship of trust and loyalty.

The six-minute claim

At the core of this new pet insurance is the speed in which claims are paid out.

Lassie is using AI to ensure that claims are paid out in record time. According to the company, more than 60% of claims are completed in around six minutes after customers upload a photo of their veterinary receipt.

Every pet owner knows the struggle of an unexpected vet bill landing and with this new initiative, the financial aspect of these scenarios is lifted, allowing the pet owner to focus on what is important in a pet crisis.

How does Lassie Pet Insurance affect the insurance market?

This is undoubtably shaking up the traditional pet insurance market and setting a new expectation for consumers in the UK.

For a start, its ability to settle claims in just six minutes will quickly become the benchmark that pet owners now expect, leaving older insurers, who still rely on paperwork and manual processes, struggling to keep up.

Beyond claims, Lassie keeps its customers engaged through its app every single day, which means that by the time a traditional insurer sends out a renewal notice, it is already fighting an uphill battle. 

There is also a financial risk for established insurers. Lassie is likely to appeal to the most responsible, health-conscious pet owners, the very customers who rarely make claims. If that group moves across to Lassie, arguably traditional insurers are left with a greater proportion of ‘higher risk customers’, which pushes costs up and squeezes profitability.

The pressure to improve is real. That said, there is a silver lining; Lassie could bring millions of previously uninsured pet owners into the market for the first time. Whether they know it or not, Britain’s dogs and cats may have just got themselves a much better deal.