This big Hippo is expanding into Texas – bringing our new home and condo insurance products for modern households to the Lone Star State – and our new national customer service headquarters to Austin.
Texas isn’t just a state — it’s a state of mind. Even the hearts are bigger in Texas. With nearly a quarter of our team calling Texas home, we’re no strangers to the Texan sense of community, incredible BBQ and the two-step. And with more than 27 million people living in the state, there’s plenty of love to go around.
Hippo has already created a name for itself in California and Arizona by providing online quotes within 60 seconds. By pulling property information from dozens of trusted data sources and relying on real-time binding, we’ve streamlined the application and buying process for homeowners looking to purchase an insurance policy.
At Hippo, we don’t see risk — we see people. We understand that a kind human interaction during an insurance claims process is not merely desirable, but necessary. We know that thousands of Texans have learned – sometimes the hard way – the importance of quality service from their home insurance provider. We look forward to meeting the needs of those for whom a little human kindness goes a long way. Because we think insurance should give people reassurance, providing home insurance empathetically is what we strive to do in every customer interaction … every day.
While much of the insurance industry is stuck in the past, we’ve developed the first product that values home electronics and appliances over pewter bowls and fur coats. We also offer enhanced coverage options to protect the tools and services Texans use most:
- Equipment breakdown coverage (for overheated A/C units, pool pumps and solar panels) to keep you cool in the spring, summer and fall
- Service line protection, to fill in the gap that traditional policies leave for coverage of home service lines that connect with municipal lines (like gas and water mains, and sewer lines)
- Water backup coverage, so you can worry a whole lot less about septic or sewage backup
Insuring with Hippo could also lower your premiums by as much as 25 percent. How? We listen to homeowners. The result is that we’ve been able to shrink upfront costs and cut items that don’t meet the needs of today’s homeowners.
When a region is hit with inclement weather, insurers bent on minimizing risk often leave the area and cancel existing policies. Besides leaving a void, exiting a marketplace altogether leaves consumers with a bad taste in their mouths.
We established Hippo because we have a unique perspective on what the home insurance model should be.CLICK TO TWEET
We established Hippo because we have a unique perspective on what the home insurance model should be. Instead of offering solutions that barely improve user experience — like apps that take pictures of insurance claims — we use technology to, for example, make the policy purchase easier. And when our clients have a claim, they work not with bots, but with concierge advocates. Imagine that: a homeowner advocate who will support you following a burglary, fire or another stressful event.
And yes. We’re not merely starting to serve home insurance policies in Texas. We’re also investing in the Lone Star State. Nearly a quarter of our national team, including sales and underwriting, will now be based in Texas. Our Head of Insurance, Rick McCathron, has called Austin home for nearly two decades, and his extensive experience in insurance and local expertise are just a couple of the advantages we’ve identified to putting down our roots in the state capital.
I’ll keep you posted on our hunt for the perfect office. We’ll be doubling the size of our team within the next six months and will need more space. We’re proud to serve Texas and we hope to meet you soon!
