{{Short description|British financial services comparison website}} {{Use British English|date=January 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox company | name = GoCompare.com Ltd. | logo = GoCompare_Primary_Linear_GREEN.svg | logo_alt = Go Compare | trade_name = Go.Compare | type = Limited company | traded_as = | industry = Price comparison | predecessor = | foundation = November 2006 | founder = Hayley Parsons | location = Cardiff, Wales, UK | area_served = United Kingdom | key_people = Lee Griffin <small>(President)</small><br>Kevin Li Ying <small>(CEO)</small> | products = | production = | services = Financial services | revenue = £142.1 million (2016)<ref name=financials>{{cite web|url=http://www.gocomparegroup.com/~/media/Files/G/GoCompare/Gocomparecom%20Group%20plc%20-%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Accounts%202016.pdf|title=Annual Report 2016|publisher=Go Compare|access-date=25 January 2018|archive-date=28 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328224606/http://www.gocomparegroup.com/~/media/Files/G/GoCompare/Gocomparecom%20Group%20plc%20-%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Accounts%202016.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> | operating_income = £21.9 million (2016)<ref name=financials/> | net_income = £15.8 million (2016)<ref name=financials/> | owner = | parent = Future plc | num_employees = | homepage = {{Official URL}} }}
'''GoCompare.com Limited''', trading as '''Go.Compare''' (formerly '''GoCompare''' from 2017 until 2022, and '''GoCompare.com''' until 2017, styled as '''GO.COMPARE''') is a Welsh financial services comparison company based in Cardiff, Wales. Its website provides comparison details for financial products including car insurance, home and pet insurance and breakdown cover. Since 2021 it has been owned by Future plc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.futureplc.com/blog/future-plc-acquires-goco-group-plc/|title=Future plc acquires GoCo Group plc|website=Future PLC}}</ref> The company's advertising campaign in 2015 was voted as the "most irritating advertisement."
The company is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK and is the only comparison website invited to join the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA).<ref>{{Cite web |title=GoCompare |url=https://www.featurespace.com/clients/gocompare |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Featurespace |language=en-US}}</ref>
==History== Go Compare was established in November 2006. The company's founder was Hayley Parsons, who worked for Admiral Insurance for 14 years,<ref name=T0712>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/insurance/9367032/Go-Compare-founder-Hayley-Parsons-nets-3.2m-dividend.html |title=Go Compare founder Hayley Parsons nets £3.2m dividend |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=1 July 2012 |access-date=2013-01-11 |last=Dunkley|first=Jamie}}</ref> and was formerly head of business development at Confused.com.<ref>{{cite news |title=Start-up compares well for ex-Admiral worker |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/tm_headline=start-up-compares-well-for-ex-admiral-worker&method=full&objectid=18653451&siteid=50082-name_page.html |work=Western Mail |date=21 February 2007 |access-date=2 February 2010 }}</ref>
It was the first comparison site to focus on features of insurance products rather than just listing prices,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/2009/09/12/best-business-brains-receive-their-awards-at-celebration-of-local-talent-91466-24668772/|title=Best business brains receive their awards at celebration of local talent|author=Sion Barry|date=11 September 2009|work=walesonline}}</ref> which led to the company being invited to become a member of the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biba.org.uk/MediaCenterContentDetails.aspx?ContentID=987|title=Go Compare|publisher=BIBA}}</ref>
The company was 49% owned by insurance company esure by 2011<ref name=T0712 /> and on 8 December 2014, esure acquired Go Compare in a deal worth £95 million.<ref>{{cite web|title = Newport-based Gocompare.com in £95m takeover deal|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-30374855|website = BBC News|access-date = 2015-06-14}}</ref> Following the acquisition, Parsons was replaced as CEO by Jon Morrell in March 2015.<ref name="T0712" />
In November 2016 the company was the subject of a demerger from esure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ican.tddirectinvesting.co.uk/alliance-news/gocomparecom-shares-begin-trading-after-esure-demerger-allipo-03-11-2016/|title=Gocompare.com Shares Begin Trading After esure Demerger|date=3 November 2016|publisher=TD Direct Investing|access-date=4 November 2016}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In November 2017, ZPG's offer to buy the company for £460 million was rejected.<ref name="Financial Times">{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/a8b0afb8-983b-3417-a062-1ee6b2bc14d7 |title=ZPG confirms failed £460m bid for GoCompare.com |author=Aime Williams, Oliver Ralph |newspaper=Financial Times |date=14 November 2017}}</ref>
In December 2017, GoCompare announced the acquisition of MyVoucherCodes, one of the UK's largest online voucher code sites, in a £36.5m deal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/gocompare-myvouchercodes-takover-deal-buy-36-million-internet-comparison-websites-a8117701.html|title=GoCompare to buy MyVoucherCodes in £36.5m deal|date=19 December 2017|newspaper=Telegraph|access-date=19 December 2017}}</ref>
In November 2020, GoCompare agreed to a £594m takeover offer from Future plc, Britain’s biggest magazines publisher.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=2020-11-25|title=Country Life publisher Future to buy GoCompare for £594m|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/25/country-life-publisher-future-to-buy-gocompare-for-594m|access-date=2020-11-26|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Since 2021, the company has been led by Lee Griffin, one of its original founders.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lee Griffin {{!}} GoCompare Founder |url=https://www.gocompare.com/about/our-team/lee-griffin/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250711112156/https://www.gocompare.com/about/our-team/lee-griffin/ |archive-date=11 July 2025 |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=www.gocompare.com |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The company moved to Hodge House in Cardiff in September 2024.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Construction |first=Property / |date=2024-09-03 |title=Go.Compare Moves HQ to Hodge House Office Building in Cardiff |url=https://businessnewswales.com/go-compare-moves-hq-to-hodge-house-office-building-in-cardiff/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Business News Wales |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In March 2025, the company acquired the RNWL app, which was subsequently rebranded as Renewal. This app offers a secure platform for storing insurance policies and important documents. The Renewal app collaborates with Go.Compare to deliver a comprehensive solution for consumers' financial management requirements.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Go.Compare swoop for Rnwl could hit £63m value in 5 years |url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/posts/gocompare-pays-ps63m-for-cambridge-insurance-innovator-rnwl |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=www.businessweekly.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> In July 2025, Go.Compare was reported to be the second most profitable company in Cardiff, reporting a pre-tax profit of £72.3 million in the year to September 2024, up from £46.2 million the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Insider |date=2025-07-11 |title=Cardiff’s most profitable companies revealed - dominated by finance and comparison - Insider Media |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/wales/cardiffs-most-profitable-companies-revealed-dominated-by-finance-and-comparison |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Insider Media Ltd |language=en}}</ref>
==Services== GoCompare provides a comparison service for vehicle, life insurance in conjunction with its partners Neilson Financial Services,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-21 |title=Neilson FS partners with GoCompare to offer protection |url=https://www.covermagazine.co.uk/news/4020460/neilson-fs-partners-gocompare-offer-protection |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=www.covermagazine.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> home and pet insurance, and breakdown cover. It also provides comparison services for travel insurance, gas and electricity, broadband, loans, credit cards, mortgages and other financial products through preferred providers such as Energylinx and Experian. On 14 August 2012, the company launched "Covered mag", an online magazine that claims to be "unlike any other financial publication you've ever read".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gocompare.com/covered/|title=Covered mag, presented by Gocompare.com|work=gocompare.com}}</ref>
==Advertising== On 19 August 2009, the company launched an advertising campaign featuring a fictional Italian tenor called Gio Compario, played by Wynne Evans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/927523/GoCompare-creates-opera-singer-Comparethemarkets-meerkat/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH|title=GoCompare creates opera singer to take on Comparethemarket's meerkat|work=marketingmagazine.co.uk}}</ref> The advertisements feature 'Gio' singing about the company to the tune of "Over There" in various locations. In 2015, the campaign was voted the UK's "most irritating advertisement".<ref>{{cite news|last=Burn|first=Rebecca|date=22 January 2015|title=The most annoying adverts from the past 15 years|newspaper=Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11359924/The-most-annoying-adverts-from-the-past-15-years.html|access-date=2016-11-04}}</ref>
In response to this reaction, Go Compare deliberately subverted the campaign in July 2012 by running a series of adverts where celebrity guests such as Sue Barker, Jimmy Carr, Stuart Pearce, Ray Mears, Louie Spence and Stephen Hawking lined up to "silence" the character of Gio Compario. Marketing officer Kevin Hughes said, "It was risky, but a brand has to listen to its customers."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postonline.co.uk/post/feature/2234998/marketing-and-advertising-small-screen-big-rewards|title=Marketing and advertising: Small screen, big rewards?|work=www.postonline.co.uk}}</ref> The character returned in July 2015 after an 18-month break, singing as part of what Evans called a "much calmer performance".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/go-compare-most-annoying-man-9723580|title=Go Compare: The most annoying man on telly is back|author=Karen Price|date=26 July 2015|work=walesonline}}</ref> The character appeared again in 2020 after coronavirus lockdown measures were eased in the UK in July 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_-GQqzx3hM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/g_-GQqzx3hM |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|publisher= Go Compare|title=Home Comforts Advertisement|access-date=11 July 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In 2023, Go.Compare rebranded to emphasize the ".compare" domain. To launch the rebrand, Go.Compare collaborated with ITV's The Voice and received a bronze award at the 2023 Campaign Media Week Awards for its media sponsorship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Results 2023 |url=https://www.mediaweekawards.co.uk/results-2023 |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Media Week Awards |language=en}}</ref>
Since 2024, Go.Compare has aimed to modernise its brand, toning down the use of Gio Compario and focusing more on how the brand makes consumers feel when they use the site.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Go Compare brand boss calls comparisons ads ‘shouty’ as he tones down Gio |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2024/03/12/go-compare-brand-boss-calls-comparisons-ads-shouty-he-tones-down-gio |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=The Drum |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Public image== In September 2007 the company admitted that, on one occasion, an unlawful breach of privacy had taken place with regard to the passing on of data provided by customers. It said that this was the result of a breach of contract by a sub-contractor, Performance Direct, and stated that it would take immediate action to prevent it happening again.<ref>{{cite news |title=Personal details at risk on comparison websites |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article2499743.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000 |work=The Times |date=22 September 2007 |access-date=2 February 2010 }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
In January 2008 the site was banned for a time by Google due to "irregular inbound links". This resulted in its share of search traffic for the term "car insurance" reducing from 17.49% to 2.31%.<ref>{{cite book |title=Personal Reputation Management - Making The Internet Work For You |last=Halpern |first=Louis |author2=Roy Murphy |pages=162–163 |year=2009 |publisher=Halpern Cowan Publishing |isbn=978-0-9562892-0-9 }}</ref> Gocompare.com was banned again in April 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=GoCompare Car Insurance - www.gocompare.com - Go Compare Ban? |url=http://www.mns.co.uk/01212237.html |work=Money News Shopping |publisher=ASAP Ventures |date=23 April 2009 |access-date=2 February 2010 |archive-date=7 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107192013/http://www.mns.co.uk/01212237.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2015, Go.Compare launched a tech-driven fraud prevention service, reducing fraud rates.<ref>{{cite web |last=Newsdesk |date=2015-08-25 |title=Gocompare.com launches tech-driven fraud service |url=https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/gocomparecom-launches-tech-driven-fraud-service/1415244.article |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Insurance Times }}</ref> This service was expanded in 2018 with additional layers of protection.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-19 |title=GoCompare partners with Featurespace to strengthen fraud detection and prevention |url=https://press.gocompare.com/news/gocompare-partners-with-featurespace-to-strengthen-fraud-detection-and-prevention |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=GoCompare News |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2019, the company became the only price comparison website to join the Insurance Fraud Bureau, reflecting their dedication to combating fraud.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Connect |first=Credit |date=2019-11-27 |title=GoCompare becomes first comparison website to join Cifas |url=https://www.credit-connect.co.uk/news/consumer-collections/gocompare-becomes-first-comparison-website-to-join-cifas/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Credit Connect |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In August 2019 the company received criticism from road safety organisations after debuting an advert depicting the Gio Compario character crashing into a tree and flipping over.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3rkpLuoVuk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/N3rkpLuoVuk |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=GoCompare Tree|via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Advertising Standards Authority received over 70 complaints regarding the advertisement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2019-08-29/go-compare-insurance-advert-facing-criticism-over-car-crash-scene/|title=Go Compare advert draws complaints over 'insensitive' car crash scene|website=ITV News}}</ref>
In July 2023, Go.Compare announced a four-year deal with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) as back of shirt sponsor, which also supports grassroots rugby development across Wales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Ollie |date=2023-07-17 |title=Welsh Rugby Union Converts Go.compare Partnership |url=https://www.sportindustry.biz/news-categories/news/welsh-rugby-union-converts-go-compare-partnership/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Sport Industry Group |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== * {{Official website}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Go Compare}} Category:Companies based in Newport, Wales Category:Vehicle insurance Category:Financial services companies established in 2006 Category:Comparison shopping websites Category:Online financial services companies of the United Kingdom Category:2006 establishments in the United Kingdom