South African insurance platform Naked has become what is believed to be the first company in the world to deploy a native app within ChatGPT capable of delivering a final, binding car insurance quote.
The launch also appears to make Naked the first South African company to release a native ChatGPT app, marking an early but significant step in the evolution of AI-driven financial services.
Unlike indicative estimates that funnel users back into a separate quoting process, Naked's ChatGPT app connects directly to the same live underwriting and rating engine that powers its website and mobile app. The premium generated within the ChatGPT interface is the final figure, with no additional steps required.
The insurer is clear that the ChatGPT app is not intended to replace its existing platforms, which remain the fastest route to getting a quote, buying cover, updating a policy or submitting a claim. Rather, it represents a deliberate signal of where Naked believes the industry is heading.
"Our app and website are still the best way to use Naked today," says Alex Thomson, co-founder of Naked Insurance. "But we believe AI assistants will, in time, become one of the primary ways people interact with financial products, and we want to be ready for that next industry shift. This signals our readiness to keep making our offering easier, more convenient and more personalised as technology evolves."
The ambition stretches well beyond quoting. Naked envisions a future in which an AI assistant tracks a customer's policy, monitors renewal dates, gathers competing quotes, explains the differences in plain language and facilitates switching, all without the customer navigating a single website or filling in a form.
"We are not waiting for AI interfaces to go mainstream," says Thomson. "We are making sure our technology is ready when our customers are. Our ChatGPT app is an exploratory step into a world where AI assistants could help manage a lot of your car and insurance-related admin on your behalf, according to your needs and preferences."
Currently supporting car insurance, the app allows users to obtain quotes for both comprehensive and third-party cover through natural, conversational language.
Staff Writer
Reporting from the front lines of the automotive industry, delivering expert analysis and the technical updates that drive the South African motor sector forward.
