ACCIDENTCARE GROUP PLC APPOINTMENT BY INTERACTIVE INVESTOR INTERNATIONALTO MANAGE ALL
CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT

Accidentcare Group PLC, the market leader in crisis management today announces a joint venture with interactive investor international to provide Accidentcare cover to all insurance policies sold through their newly announced insurance centre.

Accidentcare will provide a complete range of customer services, initially for motor insurance customers through the recently launched scheme.  Household and other insurance types will follow.  It is estimated that over 15% of all personal lines policies will be sold via the internet within three years.

interactive investor international motor customers will receive the Accidentcare Gold cover.  interactive investor international will also market their own version of the Accidentcare Platinum product which will be sold as a stand alone motor membership via their insurance centre.  It will provide enhanced benefits over and above those available under the Gold membership.

John Blowers, UK Product Marketing Director of interactive investor international said:

"Both customer service and keeping premiums at competitive levels are very important to us.  Through interactive investor international, Policy Master and Accidentcare's connections and relationships with the insurance industry, I feel this unique combination will give us a massive edge in the market".

At 27 March 2000, interactive investor international had a total of 932,728 registered accounts with over 1.6 million unique users visiting the service in the month of February 2000 alone (unaudited figures).  They have recently launched a £2 million marketing campaign including television, radio and poster advertising.

Roy Kent of Accidentcare Group PLC commented:

"This partnership offers new distribution opportunities for Accidentcare, primarily through the sale of insurance via the internet.  The link - up with interactive investor international provides us with a great opportunity to sell directly to their users.  This is the first of, hopefully, many tie-ups with internet service providers and is the perfect vehicle for the newly announced 'Accidentcare Interactive' initiative."

"Recent statistics indicate that some 15% of motor insurance will be sold through the internet within the next three years, which equates to 3 – 4 million motor policyholders.  It is expected that interactive investor international will be one of the leading players in this market.  This, combined with Accidentcare's recently announced venture with Policy Master, means that we have increased our potential market by 5m motor policy holders.  Accidentcare's expansion into customer service solutions for household, health and travel will also broaden market potential enormously via existing and new clients."

For further information:

Accidentcare Group PLC

Roy Kent, Chairman & Managing Director    020 8 200 9999

College Hill

Michael Padley/Nicholas Nelson     020 7 457 2020

interactive investor international

  • Website: http://www.iii.co.uk/
  • Candice Hodgson    interactive investor international    020 7618 1110  candice@iii.co.uk
  • John Blowers interactive investor international    020 7618 1110  candice@iii.co.uk
  • Josie Dobrin Luther Pendragon 020 7353 1500  josie@luther.co.uk
  • Emmanuel Kenning Luther Pendragon  020 7353 1500  emmanuel@luther.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Accidentcare offers 24 hour total accident management and claims assistance.  The group provides a unique service to members, who in the event of an accident receive free car hire and full claims assistance, irrespective of fault and also manages the credit hire scheme on behalf of the Association of British Insurers.

interactive investor international was founded in August 1995 and the website launched in October of the same year. The company has recently listed on both the London Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq National Market. The company is an Internet personal financial service that provides individuals with the capability to identify, compare and monitor a number of financial products and services. The company also designs and constructs websites and online trading systems and enables investors to access, via third party data providers, all of the information and references they need to execute on the Internet financial transactions with third party providers. interactive investor international operates principally from the UK, but also has early stage operations in South Africa (www.iii.co.za) and Hong Kong (www.iii-asia.com), and an offshore website for international investors (www.offshore.net).

interactive investor international has signed a major systems development contract with Policy Master Plc to design and build a portal which will offer the consumer online quotations and the ability to buy a wide range of insurance products.

This announcement has been approved by Teather & Greenwood Limited which is regulated by the Securities & Futures Authority Limited for the purposes of section 57 of the Financial Services Act 1986.