Innovation intelligence brief
Innovation intelligence brief
Simplifying renters insurance: using data and design to create a renters insurance experience that finally meets the needs 1.Enter your zip code to get a quote. 2. Buy your policy. 3.Go do something more interesting
What became of it
Completed · Medium confidence · Last verified 2026-10-17
As catalogued
Design-first online renters insurance agency for younger renters, founded by Wharton MBA students Tom Austin and Zack Stiefler, selling carrier policies (initially Travelers) via a three-step quote-and-buy flow.
2026 reality
Bungalow no longer operates as a distinct offer: Effective Coverage, a renters insurance and resident risk-management provider for multifamily property owners, acquired BungalowInsurance.com in mid-2018, and the bungalowinsurance.com domain now points to a domain-for-sale page. Coverager lists Bungalow as acquired and inactive.
Grew from a single carrier (Travelers) to several carriers (including Chubb, Homesite and Stillwater) across nine states, then was acquired by Effective Coverage (announced 27 June 2018, terms undisclosed), whose CEO cited Bungalow's framework as offering members improved choice. No later Bungalow-branded activity was found.
no longer active; an early direct-to-renter digital agency whose model was overtaken by full-stack renters insurers such as Lemonade and by property-manager distribution like the acquirer's.
Third taxonomy
REVIEW · Verified the Effective Coverage acquisition (PRWeb via InsuranceNewsNet, 27 June 2018; Insurance Journal, 2 July 2018) and that the domain redirects to a parking lander. Added the 2015 Wharton prize milestone; corrected the announcement date and noted Brooklyn, NY as the location at acquisition.
Documented evidence
Startpage
Research interpretation
Classification paths, as catalogued, connect this example to the original insurance digitalization research models.