De Persgroep Acquires Independer from Achmea

Belgian media and publishing company De Persgroep announced it will acquire Hilversum-based Independer from Achmea for €150m.

Independer is the largest digital comparison and advisory platform in the Netherlands for insurance, banking products, mortgages and energy. The website is visited 17m times a year with ~6m comparisons made annually.

“Independer’s strength is that we enable consumers to make their own financial decisions by making choices transparent and manageable. Making sense of the world without losing depth is also the strength of the news media of De Persgroep. We therefore see this as a very natural match with our new owner. At Achmea, we have been able to successfully develop independently in the past few years. In this new phase in which we are becoming part of the largest media company in the Netherlands, we see plenty of opportunities to generate further growth. For example, we will be able to provide even more consumers with financial insight when they really need it in their lives.” – Managing Director of Independer, Coen de Ruiter.

“As a comparison site, Independer is the undisputed market leader in insurance and personal finance in the Netherlands. Independer is a strong brand, independent and highly driven to help consumers. Along with the other brands of De Persgroep, we can make the lives of consumers just a bit more pleasant and easier. We’re therefore delighted to welcome Independer and a great group of new colleagues. We believe that we can offer the company a promising future with us and help it grow further.” – De Persgroep CEO, Erik Roddenhof.

Recall M&A activity here.