Hellas Direct

Hellas Direct is a direct-to-consumer insurance carrier operating in Greece, Cyprus, and Romania. Founded in 2011 by Alexis Pantazis and Emilios Markou, former investment bankers from Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital, the company provides personal lines coverage including motor (car, motorcycle, trailer) and home insurance through a fully digital platform. The company serves over 900,000 customers and focuses on accessible, technology-driven insurance in central and southern European markets.

The carrier operates a 100% online purchase and policy management platform, enabling customers to complete vehicle insurance transactions in under four minutes. Its claims technology includes a FastTrack service that resolves approximately 50% of claims within 24 hours. Hellas Direct partners with Akur8 for AI-powered pricing optimization and maintains a network of over 3,000 affiliated repair shops across Greece. In 2026, the company announced it will cease new home insurance sales in Cyprus, while maintaining existing policies.

Hellas Direct has raised EUR 56M+ in funding across multiple rounds, with a EUR 30M Series B in 2024 led by ETF Partners focusing on climate-related insurance expansion. Institutional backers include the International Finance Corporation (IFC, part of the World Bank), EBRD, European Investment Bank, Portage Ventures, and Endeavor Catalyst. The company has been recognized among Europe's 1,000 fastest-growing companies and holds a 4.7/5.0 Google rating across over 13,800 customer reviews.