The Context
42% of Nigerians own pets. None of their HMOs cover them.
Reliance HMO uses software, data science, and telemedicine to provide affordable health insurance for individuals, families, and businesses. The product question I worked on was simple to ask and harder to answer: should pets be next? I worked on this case study as a fun project.
42% of Nigerians surveyed in a 2023 TGM Research study own pets. 66% of those owners use veterinary services. Vet bills are unpredictable, expensive, and not covered by existing insurance. The opportunity was clear; the challenge was building a product that didn't feel like a side bet.
Strategy
A health system that includes everyone in the family.
Mission
Safeguard the health and happiness of families, both two-legged and four, through inclusive, compassionate insurance solutions.
Vision
A future where every family, including furry members, thrives in health and experiences peace of mind together.
Product strategy
The first healthcare system in Nigeria providing comprehensive coverage for all: businesses, individuals, families, and their furry companions, through innovative digital solutions and personalised care.
The Challenge
Four clear pain points, all largely underserved.
What pet owners were experiencing
- No integrated health coverage for both individuals and pets, leaving owners to absorb expensive annual veterinary costs without insurance support.
- Limited and inconsistent customer support for pet-related concerns, reducing trust and overall satisfaction.
- High veterinary costs forcing many users to delay or avoid important treatments and medical procedures.
The same level of care they expect for themselves, extended to their pets.
Pet owners in Nigeria weren't looking for a niche product. They wanted the same structure, accessibility, and reassurance that traditional healthcare systems provide for humans, applied to pets that are increasingly treated as part of the family.
How I'd Solve It
- Integrate pet insurance directly into the existing healthcare ecosystem, creating one unified account and experience for both human and pet care.
- Introduce a 24/7 "Consult Your Vet" support experience, adapting the proven telemedicine model for veterinary access.
- Design affordable plans tailored to the pricing realities and sensitivity of the local market.
- Build a preventive care content ecosystem with educational resources covering breed-specific care, nutrition, training, behaviour, and wellness.
Research
The market was there. The product wasn't.
TGM Research, 2023: 42% of Nigerians surveyed own pets. 74% are dogs. 33% are cats. 66% of those owners use veterinary services. Pet ownership is mainstream in Nigeria, and pet healthcare is an unfilled category.
12-Month Roadmap
I created a 12-month roadmap and used the MoSCoW method to prioritise features.
Part I (Months 1–6): Foundation & Core Experience
Focused on establishing the core product experience and essential pet care infrastructure:
- User onboarding and profile creation
- Digital pet IDs and medical records
- Vet consultations and vet locator functionality
- Wellness reminders and preventive care tracking
Part II (Months 7–12): Community & Service Expansion
Focused on strengthening engagement, support, and long-term retention:
- Community features for pet parents
- Educational resources and preventive care content
- Multi-pet plans and discount support
- Multi-channel customer support
- Reviews and trust building systems
- 24/7 emergency assistance services
What I Learned
A new product line is a strategy decision before it becomes a feature decision
The instinct is often to jump straight into the roadmap, but the more important question comes first: does the brand already have permission to solve this problem? In Reliance's case, "healthcare for the whole family" extended naturally into pet care. That strategic alignment mattered more than any individual feature decision.
Preventive care is also a content product
The blog, wellness reminders, and educational resources weren't simply marketing additions, they were part of the product value itself. In months where users never filed a claim, those touchpoints became the reason the subscription still felt useful and worth paying for.
MoSCoW prioritisation only works when "Won't Have" is treated seriously
Deliberately excluding grooming, training, and adoption features in the early stages kept the product focused on solving the core healthcare problem well. Expanding scope too early is one of the fastest ways new product lines lose clarity and execution speed.