Local insurtech Qikio has agreed a deal to distribute contents insurance underwritten by Chubb, which says the alliance is its first digital collaboration with an insurance startup in Australia.

Chubb’s new contents insurance includes instalment payment options, simplified digital claims lodgement and dedicated customer service by Chubb.

“We’re delighted to be working with Qikio to offer a digital contents insurance solution to a targeted segment of the Australian market,” Country President Australia and New Zealand Peter Kelaher said.

The arrangement combines “their experience and customer-focused digital technology with Chubb’s underwriting and claims handling expertise,” he said.

Founded by Co-CEOs Andrew Carey and Josh Payne, Qikio has an office on the Sunshine Coast and in Melbourne and is currently developing an Australian-based contact centre. It says its value proposition is offering seamless digital customer journeys that leverage customer data to deliver smart and convenient insurance solutions.

Melbourne-based Mr Carey was most recently COO at Huddle before founding Qikio in mid 2021. He was formerly acting head of direct insurance at QBE and also spent almost three years at Open Insurance and seven at Youi.

“Through our distribution arrangement with Chubb, we look forward to continuing to work together to shape a customer experience for Australians which is increasingly innovative, simple and convenient,” Mr Carey said.