Smile

Smile is a direct-to-consumer digital insurance carrier licensed in Switzerland, Austria, and Spain, offering personal lines products including auto, home contents and liability, motorcycle, travel, legal protection, life, and health insurance. Founded in 1994 as Coop Televersicherung and rebranded to smile.direct in 2008, the company distributes entirely through its website and mobile app without a broker or agent network.

The company operates a proprietary end-to-end digital platform covering enrollment, underwriting, policy management, and claims. Customers manage policies and submit claims through native iOS and Android apps or the web portal, with real-time status updates and digital document submission. The platform is cloud-native and hosted in Switzerland to comply with FINMA data residency and regulatory requirements. An API layer supports integration with Helvetia Group systems, demonstrated in a bancassurance pilot in 2020. In fall 2023, Smile extended its distribution channel to virtual environments by opening consulting rooms in the metaverse.

Smile is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Helvetia Group, a Swiss insurance conglomerate that acquired it in 2014 as part of its purchase of Nationale Suisse. As of February 2026, the company employs 82 people and serves more than 210,000 customers across Switzerland, Austria, and Spain, reporting a 93% customer recommendation rate and a 4.5 out of 5 average Google rating.