Insurance giant Axa's swiftcover.com unit introduced a mobile site for British consumers to get car insurance quotes immediately from their mobile phone.

The online insurer is targeting consumers over 25 who actively use the Internet on their mobile phone. Swiftcover's goal with the mobile site at http://www.swiftcover.mobi is to simplify the car insurance quote process.

"Our overall strategy since day one is to make the customer experience as quick and easy as possible, and the launch of our mobile service is an extension of this strategy," said Tina Shortle, marketing director of swiftcover, Send, Guildford, England.

Consumers can text Swift to the 80231 short code in Britain or click on a banner to the swiftcover mobile site. Once on the site, they enter their name, postal code, car registration, date of birth, occupation and years of no claims.

After that process is completed, consumers get a text directly to their mobile phone to let them save a record of the quote and forward it to others.

Consumers can also enter their email address on the mobile site to get an email confirming the price along with a Web link to buy swiftcover's insurance.

Essentially, consumers who run through the purchase cycle and swiftcover can track the number of quotes that have been sold due to customers using mobile.

"The challenge is to ensure the experience is as quick and easy as possible, bearing in mind that customers are on the move with limited spare time," Ms. Shortle said.

"Swiftcover.com is in a good place to meet this challenge as no other insurance company is able to provide a fixed quote by asking just six questions," she said.

Interactive and search marketing agency Steak Media conceived the idea, but farmed the design, creation and deployment of swiftcover's mobile site to Flix Marketing, London. Flix has created mobile campaigns for Nivea, Guinness World Records and Warner Bros.

Steak Media, whose client list also includes Time Out, British Gas and French Connection, handles pay-per-click and display advertising for swiftcover.

The London-based agency will next month launch a mobile search campaign along with a mobile display ad effort on major portals such as Yahoo, O2 and Vodafone.

Offline, swiftcover will run bus backs and train panels to promote swiftcover.mobi.

"We have identified that many people would like to get insurance quotes while out of their home or office when they don't have access to a desktop computer," Ms. Shortle said.

"This is especially useful for people going comparison-car-shopping and need to determine the difference in insurance based on model and specification, and now they can get a car insurance quote within seconds delivered onto their mobiles," she said.

Swiftcover began trading in June 2005. The company offers car, travel and pet insurance online without the use of call centers -- a first for a British insurer.

Employing nearly 200 people, swiftcover last year sold more than 312,000 policies online. Axa Insurance UK PLC last year bought the company from its founding management team and international insurer Primary Group.

Swiftcover will emphasize the speed implied in its name to position the service to mobile consumers. But would consumers really want to ask for insurance quotes on their mobile?

"Car insurance is a must-have purchase and there are plenty of instances where customers need a quote fast -- whilst looking to purchase a car, in the few days before their insurance expires, whilst commuting to work when they have some time to spare," Ms. Shortle said.