Kayna, the Embedded Insurance Infrastructure Teams With Willis to Provide Specialty Markel Equine Insurance Solution

Kayna, the award-winning embedded insurance infrastructure platform, has teamed with Willis (NASDAQ: WTW) to provide an online insurance offering through Equine MediRecord (EMR), a leading vertical SaaS platform in equine digital health software and part of Canada-based Inova Group’s Business Infusions – the largest equine veterinary software group in the world. EMR simplifies compliance to animal welfare and anti-doping regulations with the only regulator-approved digital medicines register. The first software system to be approved by any equine regulatory body to meet universally stringent reporting requirements, EMR is utilised by some of the top horse organisations in the world and by equine regulators in Ireland, United Kingdom, France, United States, Hong Kong, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Kayna partnered with Willis Affinity in 2024 to deliver the essential technology layer and data infrastructure between vertical SaaS platforms, insurers and brokers. The London-based Willis specialist team will broker this insurance offering. 

The partnership will also see A-rated global specialty insurer Markel (NYSE: MKL) Markel Insurance – the insurance arm of Markel Group Inc (NYSE: MKL), a Fortune 500 company – utilise Kayna low-code tech to distribute an equine mortality solution across the EMR platform. The embedded solution will serve relevant data-led insurance solutions starting with EMR’s UK client base which ranges from large stud farms to individual horse owners engaged in the multi-billion-euro equine industry. 

Kayna drives top-line growth for vertical SaaS providers while providing data-led, relevant, tailored insurance through a streamlined process direct to platform customers. 

Commenting on the announcement, Paul Prendergast, CEO and Kayna co-founder, said, “I am delighted with the success of this full-service vSaaS insurance activation. By embedding equine mortality insurance, Equine MediRecord is continuing to champion world-class digital transformation, putting client needs front and centre. Our Kayna infrastructure is doing its job leveraging unique EMR client data and enabling tailored insurance backed by the equine sector specialists at Markel and Willis. This is pioneering innovation and a key milestone in our partnership.”  

“This initiative has delivered on what we set out to achieve – a seamless insurance solution tailored for our industry, said Finlay Dargan, COO at Equine MediRecord. “In exploring value-add opportunities to expand our services portfolio, we recognised equine mortality insurance as essential to our client base. With Kayna as our integration partner, our platform environment was optimised, service offering enhanced and our valued EMR clients now have specialist Markel insurance solutions backed by Willis at their fingertips.” 

Anthony Borgman, Head of GB Affinity, Willis, said “We are delighted to launch the first fully embedded bloodstock solution making insurance easy to access and quick to arrange. Our partnership with Equine MediRecord, a leading international vertical SaaS provider of equine health and associated regulatory compliance platform services for racehorses, and Markel for their specialty product expertise, has enabled us to establish such an innovative solution for bloodstock clients. Today’s announcement demonstrates how insurance is quickly becoming a strategic proposition for vSaaS platforms. Embedding insurance serves to offer customers improved and more convenient customer experiences, which in turn can enhance customer loyalty with the brands they trust.” 

How Kayna technology enables a Willis-brokered Markel insurance solution on the EMR platform.

• Kayna deploys low-code, end-to-end orchestration layer.
• Kayna technology enables Willis insurance distribution and the ability for EMR customers to engage with indicative quotes, pre-filled applications, and policy generation.
• EMR platform leverages its data via Kayna technology to seamlessly provide relevant, right-sized policy offers from Markel to EMR customers.
• EMR customers can manage their insurance policy portfolios with full access to: Insurance documentation, certificates of Insurance and general account information – fees paid, renewal dates, claims status.
• EMR has oversight on activity via a comprehensive admin portal.