Esurance — a unit of the Bermuda-based White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd. — yesterday celebrated its 10th birthday.

During its first decade, the company has sold more than 1.5 million auto insurance policies, and insured more than 2.2 million drivers.

Esurance has become the third-most recognised personal auto insurance provider on the Internet, the company said yesterday.

Chief Executive Officer Gary Tolman said: "Our parent company, White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd., helped nurture Esurance as we became a significant competitor in the personal auto insurance space.

"We are grateful for their tremendous support over the years. Now, after a decade in business, Esurance has matured into an established, well-known insurance carrier."

Esurance was a pioneer in web-enabled insurance services, using real-time underwriting verification, electronic signatures, and actionable comparison quotes.

Since 2004, the firm has adopted animated television advertising to support the Esurance brand as "innovative and fun", the company said yesterday.