Carole Nash launches Irish website

Carole Nash, the UK and Ireland motorcycle broker, has launched a new quote and buy website targeting the Irish market.

The site, which uses Open GI’s eBroker technology, enables consumers to access a range of bike quotes direct and purchase cover online via the Realex payment processing system.

Commenting on the development, the broker’s commercial director, Simon Jackson, says: “It was important for us to protect the website’s potential by choosing a software provider we could trust to deliver a solution that could handle rapidly increasing quote volumes. Carole Nash has built a valuable partnership with Open GI for over 15 years and their solutions have been a notable contributor to our success.”

Carole Nash claims that its Dublin-based operations have already captured 50% of the Irish motorcycle insurance market and Mr Jackson adds that the opportunities in the Republic are “very significant” with over half the population now regularly using the internet.

The firm, which is owned by French insurer, Groupama, posted pre-tax profit of £7.6 million for 2008, up from £6.3 million a year earlier.

It attributed part of the rise in earnings to a range of newly launched add-on policies, such as cover for helmets, leathers and personal accident.