CarTrawler, a car hire partner for airlines including easyJet, has acquired Paris-based insuretech specialist Koala.

The Dublin-based firm said the further move into multi-product ancillaries reflects growing demand including for integrated insurance products.

Koala specialises in embedded, customer-centric insurance that can be tailored and personalised to each customer’s needs.

Cartrawler said Koala’s API-first technology and customer-centric approach “complement CarTrawler’s core strengths and support its plans to expand offerings beyond car rental and mobility”.

The firm added: “The acquisition builds on CarTrawler’s track record of delivering high-conversion products that add value across the travel journey and create revenue-generating opportunities.”

Koala’s insurtech options, such as ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ and automatic trip disruption cover, which remove the need for customers to justify claims and are already used by more than 70 travel partners in 17 countries, “deliver on that promise to drive measurable value to travellers and brands”, said Cartrawler.

Partners are being promised access to flexible travel insurance products that are embedded directly into the booking flow and “require minimal development effort while driving higher attach rates”.

Peter O’Donovan, chief executive of CarTrawler, said: “The demand for B2B travel ancillary solutions continues to increase, with our travel partners asking us to add these solutions to our offering.

“The acquisition of Koala is a further step toward fulfilling our ambition of becoming the leading multi-product ancillary platform for the global travel industry. Koala’s product innovation and customer-centric approach make them a natural fit. Together, we’ll unlock more value for travel partners and travellers alike.”