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1st Central launches Motivo, an agentic AI motor brand built with Microsoft

The motor brand is sold on Confused.com, where its assistant KAI handles purchases, policy changes and payments by voice or chat.

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Motivo app shown on a phone beside a car
Image: First Central

1st Central Group has launched Motivo, a motor insurance proposition run by an agentic AI assistant and developed with Microsoft, the UK personal lines insurer said on 21 October.

The launch puts an AI agent, not just a chatbot, in front of UK motor customers at the point of sale. 1st Central describes it as the first agentic AI motor insurance proposition.

Motivo's conversational assistant, KAI, works through voice or chat 24 hours a day. The company said the technology can carry out tasks on a customer's behalf, including making policy changes and managing payments. Customers can also complete the purchase of a policy through the assistant. Insurance specialists remain available when customers need more help or human judgement is required.

Motivo is available only through Confused.com. Claims support and other features are planned for later phases. According to the Motivo website, policies are underwritten by First Central Underwriting Limited, part of First Central Group.

1st Central said initial testing indicates comparable customer interactions can be completed in around two-fifths of the time. "Initial testing indicates it could reduce the time customers spend managing their insurance by around 40%," said Michael Lee, chief executive of 1st Central Group.

1st Central was launched in 2008 and has around 1.4 million motor and home customers. Lee said the group has invested more than £90m since 2017 in its own technology and data platform. The company said its custom-built policy administration system, FOCUS, was fundamental to building Motivo, and that owning its technology platform lets it integrate new capabilities directly into its insurance operations at speed.

Insurance Times also reported the launch.

Related coverage: Allianz Ireland says Snap & Quote makes motor quotes 85% faster and AI insurance broker i23 raises £4.9m seed round from UK investors.

Sources

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