Guest post by Daniel Tannenbaum
Former paratrooper Alfie Usher has launched the UK’s first military price comparison site to helping those who serve, or have served, find the best deals on finance and insurance products.
Usher (pictured) decided to create Forces Compare after realising that there weren’t any comparison sites geared to those in the military, and so set out on his journey to create a platform for serving members that meant “regardless of being the CGS or a soldier joining AFC you’d have a platform you could utilise to match your insurance needs”.
Forces Compare was previously known as Forces Money, and started in 2017 after Usher served over 10 years in the parachute regime. The founder also started a satirical Facebook page Fill Your Boots, which has more than 100,000 active members.
He says the idea began during his experiences after leaving the armed forces, stating “It started when I came out of the army after 10 years of service.
“It occurred to me that we had been heavily overcharged for things like basic loans, credit cards and insurance. As soldiers, we were often grouped as high risk or bad credit, based on just our profession and this meant paying a lot more for the average product.
“There is no reason why soldiers and veterans should be paying higher rates for things like car insurance or home insurance. After all, most are used to dealing with heavy machinery, so driving a Toyota Prius is not exactly high risk. Equally, they are good at securing their homes or keeping their belongings safe – and insurers are starting to recognise this.”
He spent about 18 months finding top partners for his comparison site, using only lenders and insurers that are able to be understanding of, and to accommodate for, the unique lifestyle that being in the armed forces can bring.
Today, it helps people find a range of products, including loans, car insurance, car finance, credit cards and more. They also provide a section that can help soldiers claim on such expenses as tax, travel and marriage allowances.
The company is based in Bristol, and was not only founded but is also run by veterans of HM Armed Forces. In the past year, the company has underwritten more than £250,000 worth of car insurance policies.
While it was inspired by military personelle, anyone (e.g. civilians) can use the site.
Ex-Para launches price comparison siteMore on Forces Compare here