Photo: AshBoar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Hippo car insurance quotes in South Africa
How the comparison works, the cover types and who handles your claim
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What Hippo is: a comparison service, not an insurer
Hippo's car insurance page describes the company as "Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd", an authorised financial service provider, FSP number 16357. It does not write policies itself: it collects your details once and lines up quotes from insurers it works with.
Its About us page explains how it is paid: "We make money simply by charging our partners a fee when a customer chooses to find out more about their products." The comparison is free for you, and Hippo states it adds no mark-up to the quotes.
The same page says Hippo "is part of TIH, but we are a completely separate business", and that TIH owns Auto & General, Budget Insurance, Dialdirect, 1st for Women and Virseker. Several of those brands are among the insurers Hippo compares: worth knowing when you read the list. Their regulator figures are on our profiles, for example Auto & General.
How a Hippo car insurance quote works, step by step
Hippo's car insurance page sets out five stages:
- Enter your ID number — Hippo uses it to pre-fill some of your details.
- Confirm your personal details.
- Add the vehicle: make, model and year.
- Name the regular driver — the person who drives the car most, which is not always the owner.
- Compare the quotes, then click "I'm Interested" on the one you want: the provider you select calls you back to give more information or to arrange the policy (About us).
On 30 October 2026 Hippo's page listed 13 car insurers: ABSA, Auto & General, Budget Insurance, Dial Direct, First for Women, iWYZE, King Price, MiWay, Momentum Insure, Nedbank, Old Mutual Insure, Pineapple and Virseker (listed here alphabetically). Insurers that are not on Hippo's panel do not appear in its results, so a Hippo comparison is not the whole market: the Prudential Authority's register lists every licensed insurer.
The figure on the comparison screen is a quote, not a contract. The insurer confirms the premium on the call, after its own questions.
The three cover types you can compare
Hippo's page describes the three usual levels of private car cover:
| Cover | Damage to your own car | Damage you cause to others' property |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive | Accident damage, theft, fire and natural disasters | Yes |
| Third party, fire and theft | Fire and theft only — not accidental damage | Yes |
| Third party only | None | Yes |
The exact cover always depends on the policy wording. What each level leaves out, and when each one makes sense, is in third party vs comprehensive car insurance.
What the insurer must tell you before you accept a quote
Once an insurer calls you back, the Policyholder Protection Rules apply to it like to any short-term insurer. Rule 11.4.2 of the rules lists what it must disclose before the policy starts. Ask for it in writing:
- the premium, how often it is payable, and how and when it may increase;
- every excess that may apply, when it applies and what happens if you do not pay it;
- the significant exclusions and limitations, shown prominently;
- the fees, charges and commission included in the premium;
- your cooling-off rights and how to use them;
- what you must disclose (regular driver, where the car is kept overnight, how it is used) and what happens if you do not.
Compare quotes on those points, not only on the monthly premium: a lower premium can come with a higher excess.
Claims: you deal with the insurer, not Hippo
Because Hippo does not issue the policy, a claim goes to the insurer named on your policy schedule. Hippo's own car insurance page sums up the usual route:
- Report an accident, theft or hijacking at a police station.
- Get the case number the police give you.
- Claim with your insurer by phone, online or in its app, quoting that case number.
- Assessment: the insurer sends an assessor or asks you to take the car to an assessment centre if it can be driven.
- Decision: the insurer tells you whether you are covered, and for how much.
If the insurer rejects the claim, rule 17.6 of the Policyholder Protection Rules requires written reasons within 10 days of the decision and gives you at least 90 days to make representations, which it must answer within 45 days. After that you can complain free of charge to the ombud: see rejected claims and your rights.
Tulinde does not sell insurance or take quote requests in South Africa: the questions above are the ones to put to each insurer that calls you back.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Hippo an insurance company?
No. Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd is a comparison service that states it is an authorised financial services provider (FSP 16357). The policy is issued by the insurer you choose, which also handles your claims.
Is a Hippo insurance quote free?
Yes. Hippo says comparing is free and that it adds no mark-up; it is paid a fee by its partners when a customer asks to find out more about their products.
How many insurers does Hippo compare for car insurance?
Its car insurance page listed 13 insurers on 30 October 2026. Insurers outside its panel do not appear in its results.
Who owns Hippo?
Hippo states that it is part of TIH, which owns Auto & General, Budget Insurance, Dialdirect, 1st for Women and Virseker, and that it runs as a separate business.
Who do I claim from if I bought car insurance through Hippo?
From the insurer named on your policy schedule. Report the incident to the police, get a case number, then claim with the insurer by phone, online or in its app.
Sources
- Hippo.co.za — Car insurance: compare quotes, cover types, how to claim, FSP statement (seen 30 October 2026)
- Hippo.co.za — About us: part of TIH, how Hippo makes money, 'I'm Interested' call-back (seen 30 October 2026)
- Policyholder Protection Rules (Short-term Insurance), 2017 — GN 1433, Government Gazette 41329, 15 December 2017 (rules 11.4 and 17.6)
- FSCA — FAIS verifications (check a financial services provider's licence)