Kayna and Willis team up to provide Markel bloodstock solution to vSaaS platform Equine MediRecord
Kayna, the embedded insurance infrastructure teams with Willis to provide specialty Markel equine insurance solution to top-flight vertical SaaS platform Equine MediRecord
- Global leader in equine digital health software to offer an equine mortality insurance solution on its vertical SaaS platform
- Leading advisory, broking and solutions company Willis to broker policies in UK Affinity Program rollout with Kayna
- A-rated global specialty insurer, Markel Insurance to utilise Kayna tech to distribute an equine mortality solution across the Equine MediRecord platform
Cork, Ireland (Sept. 1, 2025) – Kayna, the award-winning embedded insurance infrastructure platform, has teamed with Willis to provide an online insurance offering through Equine MediRecord (EMR), a leading vertical SaaS platform in equine digital health software and part of Canada-based Inova Group’s Business Infusions – the largest equine veterinary software group in the world. EMR simplifies compliance to animal welfare and anti-doping regulations with the only regulator-approved digital medicines register. The first software system to be approved by any equine regulatory body to meet universally stringent reporting requirements, EMR is utilised by some of the top horse organisations in the world and by equine regulators in Ireland, United Kingdom, France, United States, Hong Kong, Australia and Saudi Arabia.
Kayna partnered with Willis Affinity in 2024 to deliver the essential technology layer and data infrastructure between vertical SaaS platforms, insurers and brokers. The London-based Willis specialist team will broker this insurance offering.
The partnership will also see A-rated global specialty insurer Markel Insurance – the insurance arm of Markel Group Inc, a Fortune 500 company – utilise Kayna low-code tech to distribute an equine mortality solution across the EMR platform. The embedded solution will serve relevant data-led insurance solutions starting with EMR’s UK client base which ranges from large stud farms to individual horse owners engaged in the multi-billion-euro equine industry.
Kayna drives top-line growth for vertical SaaS providers while providing data-led, relevant, tailored insurance through a streamlined process direct to platform customers.
Commenting on the announcement, Paul Prendergast, CEO and Kayna co-founder, said, “I am delighted with the success of this full-service vSaaS insurance activation. By embedding equine mortality insurance, Equine MediRecord is continuing to champion world-class digital transformation, putting client needs front and centre. Our Kayna infrastructure is doing its job leveraging unique EMR client data and enabling tailored insurance backed by the equine sector specialists at Markel and Willis. This is pioneering innovation and a key milestone in our partnership.”
“This initiative has delivered on what we set out to achieve – a seamless insurance solution tailored for our industry, said Finlay Dargan, COO at Equine MediRecord. “In exploring value-add opportunities to expand our services portfolio, we recognised equine mortality insurance as essential to our client base. With Kayna as our integration partner, our platform environment was optimised, service offering enhanced and our valued EMR clients now have specialist Markel insurance solutions backed by Willis at their fingertips.”
Anthony Borgman, Head of GB Affinity, Willis, said “We are delighted to launch the first fully embedded bloodstock solution making insurance easy to access and quick to arrange. Our partnership with Equine MediRecord, a leading international vertical SaaS provider of equine health and associated regulatory compliance platform services for racehorses, and Markel for their specialty product expertise, has enabled us to establish such an innovative solution for bloodstock clients. Today’s announcement demonstrates how insurance is quickly becoming a strategic proposition for vSaaS platforms. Embedding insurance serves to offer customers improved and more convenient customer experiences, which in turn can enhance customer loyalty with the brands they trust.”
How Kayna technology enables a Willis-brokered Markel insurance solution on the EMR platform:
- Kayna deploys low-code, end-to-end orchestration layer.
- Kayna technology enables Willis insurance distribution and the ability for EMR customers to engage with indicative quotes, pre-filled applications, and policy generation.
- EMR platform leverages its data via Kayna technology to seamlessly provide relevant, right-sized policy offers from Markel to EMR customers.
- EMR customers can manage their insurance policy portfolios with full access to: Insurance documentation, certificates of Insurance and general account information – fees paid, renewal dates, claims status.
- EMR has oversight on activity via a comprehensive admin portal.
About Kayna
Kayna enables embedded insurance through vertical SaaS platforms. It provides the technology and data orchestration layer between carriers, brokers and any vertical SaaS platform to distribute products that are directly relevant to platform customers. Founded in 2021, Kayna was developed in the Founders Factory Venture Studio in collaboration with Aviva. It is a Lloyd’s Lab Accelerator Programme Cohort 9 alumnus and winner of the 2023 InsurTech NY’s Carrier/Broker Competition for Global Early-Stage Insurtech.
Kayna is partnered with Willis and backed by Delta Partners (Ireland), MiddleGame Ventures (pan-European), Aperture (Switzerland) and InsurTech Fund – an affiliate of InsurTech NY (USA). Kayna operates across platforms that serve millions of people and businesses worldwide, ranging from field services, fintech and retail, to personal care and wellness. For more information, visit kayna.io.
About Equine MediRecord
The Equine MediRecord (EMR) system was born out of the needs that arose from the leadership team’s family farm Eyrefield House Stud on the Curragh in county Kildare, Ireland. While working in the training office, the repetitive and hand written nature of records seemed inefficient to EMR CEO Pierce Dargan. Where new regulations could see a horse being unable to race or compete in equine sport if their records were not correctly kept and, in some cases, lead to fines or even a suspension of a trainer’s license, Pierce sought to create a better solution. He embarked on the digitisation of records for the farm to better manage their own complicated records system. Out of this, the EMR software platform was built and launched as the first software system to be approved by any equine regulatory body to replace the regulatory paperwork kept by horse farms. He was joined by his brother Finlay (EMR COO) and the platform was subsequently approved by equine regulators in countries including Ireland, United Kingdom, France, Hong Kong United States, Australia and Saudi Arabia. The Equine MediRecord platform has amassed clients such as Arabian Racing Organisation, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA), Thoroughbred Owners of California, Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Maryland 5 Star, Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, and 1S/T RACING for American Classic Preakness Stakes and Pegasus World Cup. In 2022, Equine MediRecord closed an investment deal with Chicago-based private equity firm Merit Holdings through Inova Group Holdings which had previously acquired Business Infusions, the largest equine veterinary software group in the world. For more information, visit equinemedirecord.com.
About WTW
At Willis (NASDAQ: WLTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance. Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you. For more information, visit www.wtwco.com.
About Markel
Markel Insurance is a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within the Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we leverage a broad array of capabilities and expertise to create intelligent solutions for the most complex specialty insurance needs. However, it is our people – and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients – that differentiates us worldwide. Visit www.markel.com/
SOURCE: Kayna via Fuller Marketing Ltd.
Tags: Blink Innovation, compliance, embedded insurance, industry first, InsurTech, InsurTech Spotlight, Kayna, launch, Markel, platform, Software as a Service (SaaS), Willis Towers Watson (WTW)