System tinker 90: Create article on Check24, covering its history and services
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2026}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Check24
| industry = Price comparison
| founded = {{Start date and age|1999}}
| founders = {{Plainlist|
* Henrich Blase
* Eckhard Juls
}}
| hq_location_city = [[Munich]]
| hq_location_country = Germany
| website = {{URL|https://www.check24.de/}}
}}
”’Check24”’ is a German online [[Comparison shopping website|price comparison]] company based in [[Munich]]. It offers comparisons of insurance policies, energy tariffs, financial products, internet and mobile plans. The business began in 1999 as the insurance comparison and later expanded into multiple segments.<ref name=”AZ2012″>{{Cite news |last=Timmermann |first=Anja |date=31 August 2012 |title=Die Checker aus München |url=https://www.abendzeitung-muenchen.de/muenchen/die-checker-aus-muenchen-art-173273 |work=Abendzeitung |language=de}}</ref><ref name=”Spain2024″>{{Cite news |last=Lozano |first=Elena |date=24 April 2024 |title=Check24, el gigante alemán de los comparadores, crece en España tras invertir 50M para ser “el Booking de los seguros” |url=https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/empresas/20240424/check24-gigante-aleman-comparadores-crece-espana-invertir-booking-seguros/848915610_0.html |work=El Español |language=es}}</ref>
== History ==
Check24 originated as einsurance, a company founded in [[Munich]] in 1999 by Henrich Blase and colleagues.<ref name=”AZ20122″>{{Cite news |last=Timmermann |first=Anja |date=31 August 2012 |title=Die Checker aus München |url=https://www.abendzeitung-muenchen.de/muenchen/die-checker-aus-muenchen-art-173273 |work=Abendzeitung |language=de}}</ref> The business received investment from VC firm [[Accel (company)|Accel]] in 2007. <ref name=”Accel2″>{{Cite web |title=Check24 |url=https://www.accel.com/companies/check24 |access-date=18 September 2026 |website=Accel}}</ref>
Check24 website launched in 2008, combining einsurance.de with the financial comparison website moneyworld.de and the energy comparison tarifvergleich.de. At launch, it covered insurance, financial products, energy and telecommunications tariffs.<ref name=”Launch2008″>{{Cite press release |title=CHECK24 geht online – Deutschlands großes Vergleichsportal bringt Licht in den Tarifdschungel |date=14 October 2008 |publisher=CHECK24 Vergleichsportal GmbH |url=https://www.openpr.de/news/250648/CHECK24-geht-online-Deutschlands-grosses-Vergleichsportal-bringt-Licht-in-den-Tarifdschungel.html |language=de |via=openPR}}</ref> Travel bookings were added later.<ref name=”AZ2012″ />
In 2020, Check24 entered the Spanish market and opened its first office outside Germany in [[Madrid]].<ref name=”Spain2024″ />
== Services and business model ==
Customers can use Check24 to take out insurance, switch energy or telecommunications providers, and book hotels or rental cars.<ref name=”Spain2024″ /> Check24 earns commissions from providers when customers conclude contracts through the platform.<ref name=”AZ2012″ />
In insurance, it acts as an [[insurance broker]], advising customers and arranging policies.<ref name=”Ruling2017″>{{Cite news |date=6 April 2017 |title=Urteil im Verfahren BVK gegen Check24 |url=https://www.asscompact.de/nachrichten/urteil-im-verfahren-bvk-gegen-check24 |work=AssCompact |language=de}}</ref> The company’s travel businesses also include the tour operator Aurumtours and the car rental broker Aurumcars.<ref name=”Spain2024″ />
== Marketing ==
During [[UEFA Euro 2024]], Check24 promoted its app by giving away Germany-themed football shirts made by [[Puma (brand)|Puma]]. Since the start of the event, the company had increased distribution to total of 5 million shirts.<ref name=”OMR2024″>{{Cite news |last1=Schlenk |first1=Caspar |last2=Rinke |first2=Florian |date=20 June 2024 |title=Check24-Gründer verrät Trikot-Geheimnis: So läuft die größte Marketing-Aktion der Fußball-EM |url=https://omr.com/de/daily/check24-puma-em-trikot |work=OMR |language=de}}</ref>
== Legal and regulatory issues ==
Following a Bundeskartellamt investigation, Check24 agreed in February 2026 to stop preventing energy suppliers from offering lower prices elsewhere.<ref name=”Energy2026″>{{Cite news |date=24 February 2026 |title=Check24 verzichtet auf Preisklauseln bei Energieversorgern |url=https://www.welt.de/newsticker/dpa_nt/infoline_nt/wirtschaft_nt/article699d8a7a1abe4229fa92cdbf/check24-verzichtet-auf-preisklauseln-bei-energieversorgern.html |work=Die Welt |language=de |agency=Deutsche Presse-Agentur}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.check24.de/}}
