The Zebra and Annex Partner to Simplify Insurance for Catastrophe-Exposed Homes

TheZebra.com (“The Zebra”), the easiest way to compare and buy insurance, today has announced a partnership with Annex, a digital platform built for catastrophe-exposed residential property. The partnership gives The Zebra’s network of independent agents direct access to Annex’s homeowners and flood insurance products. The integration, live since August 31, is designed to help agents place coastal, wildfire, and flood risks that traditional carriers are increasingly declining to cover.

The Zebra’s agents receive an Annex rate directly within their existing quoting experience and the underwriting data they’ve already captured is automatically transferred to Annex. After adding a few more details about the applicant and property, The Zebra agent can quote, bind, and complete required disclosures and e-signatures entirely online, while Annex handles surplus lines compliance, lienholder notifications, payments, and policy issuance, allowing the agent to place the policy without navigating the traditional complexities of the E&S market.

Partnership Highlights

• Proven Speed: Annex agents quote coastal, wildfire, and flood risk digitally in minutes and bind without the wait, with no emails or manual underwriting review standing between a ready customer and a bound policy.
• Built-In Simplicity: Direct bill, digital escrow, and premium finance are built into the platform, which works through the rater or API agents already use.
• Lasting Appetite: Annex was purpose-built for catastrophe-exposed residential property. As traditional carrier appetite expands and contracts, coastal homeowners remain its core customer, making Annex a reliable distribution partner for digitally-minded agencies like The Zebra.

“Annex is proud to provide a digital solution to agencies for more challenging risks that in many cases they simply had no feasible home for,” said Charlie Sido, Co-Founder of Annex.

“The Zebra’s technology-first approach to working with consumers mirrors our own philosophy,” said Charlie Sido, Co-Founder of Annex.

“As environmental risks grow more complex, homeowners need flexible, specialized coverage,” said Austin Spademan, Head of Commercialization at The Zebra.

“Integrating Annex’s technology directly into our platform eliminates the traditional friction of specialty lines; giving our agents a fast, seamless way to cover hard-to-place properties,” said Austin Spademan, Head of Commercialization at The Zebra.

Coverage is currently available in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Massachusetts, and Mississippi, with additional states planned as the partnership grows. Annex currently offers residential homeowners and flood insurance across Florida and much of the East Coast, as well as Texas and California, with many more states and products planned.

The need is significant and growing. More than 32 million U.S. homes across 20 tracked states, representing $12.26 trillion in reconstruction cost value, face moderate or greater hurricane-wind risk, according to Cotality's 2026 Hurricane Risk Report. NOAA data shows coastal counties hold 39% of the U.S. population despite covering less than 10% of its land area, and that population grew nearly 40% between 1970 and 2010, with continued growth projected through the 2020s.