Tag: Insurance

Philippines – Global merchant platform for SME, yufin, has partnered with Singapore-based insurance provider, Gigacover, to enable Filipino small businesses on the platform to access Gigacover health insurance products tailored to their needs at the touch of a button.

Under the partnership, the small businesses will also be able to access business protection and offer customised insurance products such as family and health insurance to their customers.

The platform said that the announcement comes as it has exceeded 15,000 merchant sign-ups since launching in Davao City, in the Philippines end of May 2022.

Shubhrendu Khoche, chief strategy and product officer at yufin, said, “Small businesses are the lifeblood of Southeast Asian economies and communities but many are underserved. Our partnership with Gigacover helps us bring insurance to last-mile merchants to give them peace of mind and to help them offer their customers much-needed access to insurance protection.”

Meanwhile, Chesca Figueroa, country manager and partnerships lead at Gigacover Philippines, noted, “With this partnership, we aim to further support yufin’s efforts in financial education, planning, and protection to their respective small merchants.”

Gerald Chua, head of merchant acquiring at yufin Philippines, commented, “We are delighted and humbled by the welcome yufin has received so far from our community merchant partners. We help small businesses manage their transactions through a suite of tools, products and services that help them grow and prosper.”

Liz Servañez, head of business development and partnerships at yufin, noted, “With partnerships such as our partnership with Gigacover, much-needed financial services products, like insurance protection can also be sacheted to make them accessible and affordable for the yufin merchant network and their customers.”

Hong Kong – Insurance company Manulife in Hong Kong has launched a multichannel marketing campaign to highlight how to increase the chances of survival against critical illness. This aims to promote Manulife’s two new critical illness plans, namely ManuPrimo Care and ManuPrimo Care.

Following on from the success of the ManuBright Care 2’s ‘Increase odds of survival against critical illness’ campaign in 2020, the latest ManuPrimo Care campaign takes a more positive view of a serious topic by emphasising how people have a better chance of survival with early preparation.

Developed with Manulife’s creative partner dentsu, the campaign kicked off on 1 August 2022 with a product launch event and the premiere of an action-packed commercial featuring well-known Hong Kong actors Gordon Lam and Louise Wong as product ambassadors. The commercial features a couple – Lam and Wong – who are special agents discussing the importance of upgrading their critical illness plans over dinner. It creatively promotes the health benefits and financial support of the plans to a wide target audience in Hong Kong.

Manulife’s large-scale campaign is featured in prime locations at Hong Kong and Causeway Bay MTR stations and outdoors on the Island Beverly shopping mall in Causeway Bay. Buses across the city, as well as bus shelters, have also been emblazoned with advertisements about the campaign. The campaign also includes an upcoming digital aspect to trigger social conversations and awareness among people in Hong Kong on the topic of how to better prepare for critical illness.

Moreover, the digital marketing campaign features a 90-second social video on YouTube and a 30-second video on the ViuTV app running in conjunction with the commercial. There is also a 35-second TVC on ViuTV and OpenTV to explain how the plans support customers on their recovery journey from diagnosis to treatment.

Kenneth Luk, Manulife’s head of marketing for Hong Kong and Macau, noted that the comprehensive campaign educates people about how the plans have been designed to give customers well-rounded protection with continuous care benefits and flexible cancer payout options. 

“And by collaborating with local celebrities Gordon Lam and Louise Wong, the campaign will reach a wider audience motivating more people to obtain critical illness coverage earlier,” said Luk.

Meanwhile, Jeffry Gamble, dentsu International’s chief creative officer for Hong Kong, shared that the campaign takes a light-hearted and entertaining approach to talk about a serious and heavy topic. 

“We worked closely with Manulife, Lam and Wong to create a creative campaign that resonates with people in Hong Kong while at the same time delivering the key messages on critical illness. The end result is an insurance ad campaign that for the first time in Hong Kong adopts a cinematic approach,” said Gamble.

Singapore – Budget Direct Insurance, the online digital insurance company in SEA, has reappointed digital marketing agency Tug as its partner. Tug was engaged by the company in 2020 to manage link acquisition and competitor analysis to boost local search rankings. 

Following the renewal, the agency’s scope has been extended to include content, UX and conversion rate optimisation services (CRO), content strategy and landing page experience.

Budget Direct is part of an international insurance group providing insurance solutions for policyholders worldwide. Meanwhile, Tug, which also has offices in Sydney, London, Toronto and Berlin, is a specialist in performance media and uses a smart combination of data, media, content and technology to deliver improved return on investment for brands. 

The account will be managed by Darran Hong, the recently appointed SEO Director at Tug Singapore, after the agency opened its doors in Southeast Asia earlier this year. 

Willy Bilaro, digital manager for SEA of Budget Direct Insurance, said, “Having partnered with Tug for a number of years, we have been impressed by the depth of experience and their strategic understanding in driving digital awareness and engagement with our brand. The launch of its office in Singapore means we now have an [on-the-ground] presence which will only facilitate closer collaboration and results for the business and we’re delighted to continue our partnership.” 

Karen Soo, managing director of Tug Singapore, commented, “Budget Direct Insurance is a leading insurance brand and one we are proud to be working with. As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, we look forward to continuing Tug’s association to ensure we deliver on their marketing objectives and return on investment.”

Singapore – To mark Great Eastern’s 114th anniversary, the regional insurer has unveiled its new brand purpose – ‘Reach for Great’ – which expresses its promise to be a partner and enabler of its customers’ ambitions and aspirations. This brand refresh stems from extensive research involving more than 2,000 consumers across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia done over the last two years.

Colin Chan, Great Eastern’s managing director of group marketing, shared that in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they rallied their customers to live Lifeproof, encouraging them to be resilient and optimistic in the face of adversity, and at the same time, they kick-started extensive research across their key markets to better understand consumer expectations of their insurance partner, and specifically from Great Eastern as their insurer of choice. 

“Findings from our research pointed towards the enablement of goals with consumers expressing the desire for us to help them in the pursuit of their financial goals and aspirations. This heightened consciousness about the need for financial wellness has been further accelerated as we move out of COVID-19 into a more endemic state of pandemic living,” he said.

To communicate this new brand positioning, Great Eastern has developed a new visual identity with a distinctive new headline typeface, colour strategy, and illustration style added to its brand palette. Taking reference from Great Eastern’s first brand logo in the 1900s, the new visuals sport a heritage crest to reflect its establishment as an inspiring and trusted insurance brand in the region. This new iconic and distinct treatment will be visible in all marketing material, which will be rolled out regionally across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia in the next few months.

Moreover, to launch ‘Reach for Great’ in a relevant and compelling way, Great Eastern has also unveiled a new campaign and brand film featuring consumer profiles across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia going about the unique pursuit of their own ‘greatness’. The real-life stories across the region capture the vast diversity of consumer’s goals and ambitions and show how Great Eastern is able to help them ‘Reach for Great’ through its combination of heritage, expertise, and inspiration, as the brand that believes in empowering everyone to achieve their aspirations no matter how big or small.

Chan added, “This refresh elevates our continuing and unique value proposition as a composite insurer to empower everyone to Reach for Great regardless of their aspirations, life stage or socio-economic status. We believe that Great is for everyone and that Greatness comes in many forms. Through the authentic stories of the people filmed in our brand film, we are that insurer of choice that will be there for life, to enable our customers to achieve their goals and #ReachforGreat.”

The new brand campaign is now available across free-to-air television, digital and social media, website, and out-of-home advertising across its key markets. Consumers can also interact with the brand as it rolls out a slew of product initiatives, rewards, and promotions from September onwards.

Hong Kong – Insurance company FWD Group has launched a new mobile app called ‘omne’, which aims to empower individuals with a unique set of value propositions centred on personalised goal-based journeys.

‘omne’ is designed to help people celebrate living through tools that foster micro-habits and achieve daily goals. It also provides a suite of activities and content – including music, mini-games, sketching, and health, as well as wellbeing, and a vast array of engaging features – that are personalised to an individual’s preferences and interests. Additionally, the app intends to expand its capabilities to offer self-service functions for FWD Insurance customers in the coming weeks and months.

Troy Barnes, FWD’s group chief transformation officer, shared that a critical part of how they’re changing the way people feel about insurance is reimagining how they bring value to, and anticipate, the evolving demands of Asia’s ever-more digital and mobile population.

“‘omne’ brings a new dimension to how people achieve their personal goals, with an engaging experience that creates micro-habits from the convenience of their mobile device,” said Barnes.

‘omne’ is now available in all FWD markets, and can be downloaded for free on both the Apple and Google app stores.

In June 2022, FWD announced its foray into launching its first-ever NFT collection. The move aims to further enhance customer experiences with a diverse suite of engagement activities extended to the metaverse so that people can pursue their passions and live life to the fullest anywhere, anytime.

Manila, Philippines – Insurance company Allianz PNB Life has launched its latest digital campaign that features a man’s best friend – a golden retriever named ‘Yanzy’ – who represents the company’s insurance agents ‘Life Changers’, who help potential customers to a more confident tomorrow.

Titled ‘Who’s A Good Hooman?’, the campaign continues the company’s June campaign called ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’. This time, it spotlights Allianz PNB Life’s insurance protection and ‘Life Changers’.

Apart from recognising the important role of ‘Life Changers’ in guiding prospective and existing policyholders when it comes to their insurance needs, the campaign also aims to inspire viewers and show the fun side of protection, as well as to encourage them to join Allianz PNB Life in this endeavour.

Alexander Grenz, Allianz PNB Life’s president and CEO, shared that the company firmly believes in securing the future of every Filipino, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by educating them on the importance of insurance, and encouraging them to get insured.

“This latest campaign was created to show how insurance can be like ‘man’s best friend’, who protects you and to connect you to the people responsible for this protection, our Life Changers,” said Grenz.

He added, “To the viewers who enjoyed the video, I would like to personally invite you to become part of Allianz PNB Life’s roster of Life Changers. There’s a reason we are called Life Changers. Whether you are a policyholder who trusts us with your future, or a Life Changer who has discovered a purpose in helping others, our end goal is always to change lives for the better.”

Manila, Philippines – Local insurance provider Allianz PNB Life has launched its newest campaign for its commitment to sustainability entitled ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’. The digital short film, which is a much more straightforward approach than its previous awarded campaign ‘No Filter’, was made available for streaming on Facebook last June 23.

The insurance company had been recognised twice for its highly visual and engaging creative ad, ‘No Filter’, which launched in 2021. Developed by creative agency Gigil, the ad, currently at 800,000 views, was an eye candy with a ‘cause’, delivered through a jovial mood but provoking an all-important message that the polluted world can’t be ‘fixed’ with a filter–but that a policy from Allianz PNB Life can help. 

The insurance provider shared with MARKETECH APAC that the reason they decided to focus on a more literal approach this time with ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’ is that they needed “to go into detail” and show how Allianz is fulfilling that sustainability role in securing the future. The ad, sans the frills, shows different scenarios of how a good insurance plan can help build a better ‘tomorrow’ for oneself, family, and the environment. 

From the ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’ campaign

“We are proud of our ‘No Filter’ campaign because it firmly established via a creative approach that sustainability is in Allianz PNB Life’s DNA, that we believe that sustainability is a way to fulfil our company’s Purpose, which is ‘We Secure Your Future’,” said the company. 

The insurance provider added, “A more straightforward campaign shows our focus on sustainable food production, renewable and alternative energy sources, tree-planting, cycling (just like our award-winning Allianz Ride Safe campaign, which promotes healthy and sustainable transport), and even our partnership with the WWF for a foodshed that provides food to Filipino families. ‘No Filter’ showed creatively the ‘WHAT’, while ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’ shows the ‘HOW’.”

The company’s ‘Ride Safe’ bicycle campaign was created to encourage a healthier lifestyle among Filipinos while lessening the carbon footprint and pollution generated by transportation vehicles. 

“The [present campaign] ties in with our purpose of ‘We secure your future’, not just of our customers but of the communities we operate in. We want to highlight the importance of getting an insurance plan that can help build a better world,” commented its President and CEO Alexander Grenz.

In terms of what consumers can expect from its sustainability initiatives, the company said it will be continuing the said Allianz Ride Safe campaign. The company shared that there could be more cycling infrastructure in the future, but more than that, it is eyeing activities that will teach more Filipinos how to be bike mechanics. 

Other sustainability-focused activities aimed in the coming periods is its ongoing ‘Kaagapay’ (support) financial literacy seminars which aim to teach farmers, labourers, and other folks, who may not have access to proper financial education, how to properly manage their money so that they have funds for the future. 

Bangkok, Thailand – Starr Insurance Companies has announced its expansion of services in Thailand by announcing an agreement with FPG Insurance Holdings Limited (HK) (FPG) and local Thai shareholders to purchase FPG Insurance Public Company Limited (FPG Thailand), a Thai non-life insurance company, together with local Thai parties.

Starr expects to strengthen local product offerings with tailored commercial insurance and accident and health (A&H) products and plans to further maximise its growth by recruiting and developing local Thai insurance talent. Previously, Starr supported the Thai insurance market primarily through its provision of reinsurance products, including technical risks, casualty, marine, and A&H products.

David Zuellig, FPG regional chairman, said, “This transaction reflects the standing of our franchises and is the product of the hard work, persistence, and determination of the FPG Thailand team despite challenging market conditions. The team is excited and ready to work with Starr in bringing the company to the next level.”

Meanwhile, Maurice R. Greenberg, chairman and CEO at Starr, commented, “Thailand is an important, fast-growing insurance market — one of the cornerstones of the Southeast Asia economy. Asia is both commercially and culturally important to Starr, as we trace our roots to an American-owned company founded in Shanghai more than 100 years ago. We look forward to serving the needs of local Thai companies and consumers through this new insurance capability.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand-based digital car insurance broker EasyCompare has launched a new reward scheme, EasyRewards, which offers lifestyle rewards worth up to THB9,390 (about $273) to motorists who buy or renew their car insurance with the service.

The rewards scheme is aimed at attracting new business as well as retaining existing customers, and with this, the Bangkok-based broker eyes to partner with leading car insurance brands in Thailand. 

Alisa Apaivongse, country head of EasyCompare, said, “The incentives we are offering will really help take our business to a whole new level. Customers can be excited that they’ll get a chance to receive benefits such as first-class round-the-clock health care, emergency home repair services and 24/7 car repair and assistance. Not only that, but our customers can continue to enjoy these benefits for as long as they’re insured through us. These are really added value for anyone buying car insurance from us and we’re very happy to be able to offer rewards that will make life easier for our customers.”

Having been in operation for five years, the insurance firm said it is keen to further leverage its success within the market, particularly at a time when Thailand’s digital business is seeing rapid transformation, in part due to the pandemic.

The new reward scheme will provide ‘unbeatable incentives’ for new and existing customers who will be given a choice of benefits worth up to THB9,390 (about $273) from the lifestyle categories of health, motoring, and home.

The firm also said that it will soon move towards digitising its online purchase process, kicking off with the launch of a full online quote and buy journey for a small number of its insurance partners before eventually rolling it out for all policies.

Apaivongse believes this smooth quote and buy process together with cheaper premiums, first-class customer service and the launch of their customer incentives package will appeal to Thailand’s motorists who are keen to get better value car insurance.

“When we launched five years ago our aim was to lead the way and shake up the Thai insurance industry, giving motorists a better deal all round. And today we can proudly say that we’re achieving that goal,” said Apaivongse. 

Malaysia – Touch ‘n Go Group, via TNG Digital, owner and operator of Touch ‘n Go eWallet, together with AIA Malaysia, an insurance firm, has launched SafeTrip, a travel insurance plan for both domestic and international travel and covers travel inconveniences, medical expenses, personal accidents, and comes with extra COVID-19 protection. 

SafeTrip also gives international travelers an option to top-up their coverage for medical expenses related to Covid-19 to up to US$57,200 (RM250,000) in total, enabling them to satisfy the travel requirements of their destination country.

The company said SafeTrip costs just US$0.68 (RM3) per day for domestic trips and US$2.29 (RM10) per day for short trips in most Asian countries. Besides enjoying a rebate of up to 25% on their premiums for domestic plans and selected international destinations, Touch ‘n Go eWallet users will also receive an additional premium discount of 5% if they travel in a group of five and more.

Effendy Shahul Hamid, group chief executive officer (CEO) of Touch ‘n Go Group, said in celebration of the Hari Raya festival, the introduction of this second insurance product is timely as they expect to see more Malaysians making plans to make up for the lost time to reunite with their loved ones domestically and internationally. 

“SafeTrip is affordable and convenient to sign up for and it offers Touch ‘n Go, eWallet users, a rebate of up to 25% on domestic and international plans. Using technology and innovation effectively, we are excited to expand our services with AIA and offer this travel insurance to all our users,” Hamid said.

“We advise all users to ensure that they meet all travel requirements of their destination country to have a worry-free trip, as many countries mandate a certain amount of insurance coverage, especially on Covid-19 protection,” Hamid added.

Touch ‘n Go has been expanding its value-added services and has now included travel insurance as well, where users can buy this product directly from their Touch ‘n Go eWallet.

Users can select their travel destination, travel date, and the number of travelers to get a quotation instantly. Once payment is completed via the eWallet, users will be covered the moment their trip starts. 

Users can also submit a claim easier and faster as the entire process from claims submission to instant claims payout is performed online.

Ben Ng, CEO of AIA Bhd, commented, “Following the success of our first product collaboration, WalletSafe, the company is bringing yet another innovative and personalised solution to benefit Touch ‘n Go eWallet’s over 16 million users. SafeTrip could not have come at a more appropriate time as many are looking to resume travel plans with the reopening of borders.”

“We believe this product is set to provide our partner’s users with the much-needed peace of mind when they go on their trips, in line with AIA’s purpose of helping people live healthier, longer and better,” Ng adds. 

Since July 2021, TNG Digital and AIA had a long-term strategic partnership, paving the way for AIA to provide digital insurance solutions to users of Touch ‘n Go eWallet.