The Zebra has partnered with Annex to give its network of independent insurance agents access to homeowners and flood insurance for properties exposed to hurricanes, wildfires, floods and other catastrophe risks.
The integration, which went live August 31, is designed to help agents find coverage for properties that may fall outside the underwriting appetite of traditional insurance carriers.
Through the partnership, The Zebra agents can receive an Annex rate within their existing quoting process. Information already collected by the agent is automatically transferred to Annex, reducing the need for duplicate data entry.
After providing additional applicant and property information, agents can quote and bind coverage, complete required disclosures and obtain electronic signatures online. Annex handles surplus lines compliance, lienholder notifications, payments and policy issuance.
Charlie Sido, co-founder of Annex, said the company developed its platform to provide agencies with another option for challenging residential risks that can be difficult to place in the traditional market.
Austin Spademan, head of commercialization at The Zebra, said integrating Annex into The Zebra’s platform is intended to simplify the specialty insurance placement process and give agents faster access to coverage for hard-to-place properties.
The platform also includes direct billing, digital escrow and premium financing capabilities. Annex focuses specifically on catastrophe-exposed residential property, including coastal, wildfire and flood risks.
Coverage through the partnership is currently available in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Massachusetts and Mississippi. Additional states and products are planned.
The companies pointed to growing catastrophe exposure as one reason for expanding access to specialty homeowners coverage. Citing Cotality’s 2026 Hurricane Risk Report, the announcement said more than 32 million homes across 20 states face moderate or greater hurricane-wind risk, representing approximately $12.26 trillion in reconstruction cost value.
Annex plans to continue expanding its geographic footprint, insurance products and technology integrations as more residential properties face limited options in the traditional insurance market.
Information for this article was provided by The Zebra. Views and claims expressed in this article are those of the source company and do not necessarily reflect the views of AgencyEquity.com. This article may have been edited with the help of AI.
