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05/19/2024 07:26:13 am

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China Insurers Get Creative In Selling Insurance Policies

China Insurers Get Creative In Selling Insurance Policies

(Photo : Reuters) China insurers have gotten creative in offering their insurance policies to would-be customers

China's insurers have become creative in drumming up business by offering a whole array of quirky insurable policies covering daily concerns, such as a child's tantrums, a recall of infant formula, getting pregnant before the honeymoon, and even the ever-present smog that may ruin your day.

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If your child is a little rowdy and smashes on something after throwing a fit, there is a "naughty child insurance" policy you can take out. If your wife becomes pregnant right before your honeymoon, an insurance policy known as the "Accidental Pregnancy Before Honeymoon"  can be had to cover the costs of unexpectedly cancelling a honeymoon.

Burned your tongue while sipping hotpot? Your team lost in the World Cup? All these have matching insurance policies that will give payouts to ease your hurt feelings.

Big  insurance companies in China  are taking the insurance business to the next level in the wake of stiff competition and to lure more customers in taking out  insurance policies in a market where growth has stalled and business rates are around 3 percent or just half of the global average.

Business reports show that premiums in China are less than $278 billion a year, an amount way below the United States' $1.3 trillion and the UK's $330 billion.

Joseph Ngai, who heads the Greater China financial institutions in Hong Kong, said that offering the quirky policies is a way to engage new customers. He said that the policies, though short-term promotions, give the clients insights into the daily concerns, such as marriage and children, of the world's most populous nation.

The world's second largest insurance company, Ping An Insurance Group Co., has paid out to wives who have divorced their husbands. It also offers a sort of investment policy where the couple will be paid out, if they stayed together after a certain period of time.

Ping An also offered an incentive policy last year to  couples who will  marry in the 10 days leading up to the "Singles' Day" in November 11 this year. The policy, which also included a 12-month membership in an online  matchmaking site, sold out in 10 minutes, the local newspapers reported.

Ping An reportedly said that although it still sells "innovative products" to "solve real life problems," it is no longer offering marriage, pregnancy, and singles policies.

Sino Life Group, Ltd., one of the biggest insurers worldwide, also sold "concubine-proof", "red rose", and "rich flower" insurance policies to Chinese married couples.

For children, other insurers offer to pay for recalled infant formula. If the child is quite a handful, one can take out a policy against the child's destructive habits.

The policy covering the mischievous child's tantrums costs 44 yuan ($7.16) and will cover up to 100,000 yuan for 12 months. Chongqing-based Ancheng offers three different versions of the policy with parents of the most mischievous children paying 116 yuan for a 5,000 yuan payout.

During the recently held World Cup in Brazil, some insurance companies offered a policy that allowed customers to pay for protection against hooligans, overdrinking, and "heartbreak" in case the customer's favourite team lost.

The policy did not do well in terms of sales, but the insurers felt happy as people took notice of their company.

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