FWD Hong Kong has launched the Crisis EasyGo series, a range of critical illness insurance plans aimed at providing coverage for individuals with prior serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
The new plans – UPrimeCover, UCanCover, and UStillCover – seek to bridge a protection gap in the Hong Kong insurance market by offering lifetime critical illness coverage with simplified underwriting and limited premium payment terms.
Crisis EasyGo is the first critical illness insurance series in Hong Kong offering simplified underwriting for applicants with specific medical histories, according to FWD Hong Kong.
Kelvin Yu (pictured middle), chief product officer for FWD Hong Kong & Macau, highlighted the rationale behind the offering, noting the findings of the FWD Hong Kong Health Protection Needs Survey.
“The ‘FWD Hong Kong Health Protection Needs Survey’ showed that many middle-aged individuals with medical histories find it challenging to obtain critical illness coverage, where some are even discouraged from applying,” he said.
He explained that the new policies are designed to ease the application process for those recovering from significant health events.
“These products offer market-first, limited-payment lifetime critical illness protection to address the protection gap for those with pre-existing conditions. With simplified underwriting process, we strive to make it easier for those recovered from cancer, as well as people with a history of heart disease or stroke, to obtain lifetime critical illness coverage and enjoy life with greater peace of mind,” Yu said.
According to FWD’s latest “Hong Kong Health Protection Needs Survey,” many residents perceive critical illness insurance as difficult to obtain for people with pre-existing conditions.
Among respondents, 69% noted that the process of applying for critical illness coverage was particularly challenging for middle-aged individuals.
Additionally, 82% of respondents believed that medical exams or health documentation were required before they could apply.
Survey results also revealed that 56% of respondents cited chronic health issues or a history of critical illness as reasons for opting out of coverage due to complex application processes or risk of exclusions and denials.
Furthermore, 63% of those with family members who had chronic illnesses or critical conditions reported that their relatives were unable to obtain adequate or additional coverage after treatment.
The UCanCover and UStillCover plans are structured to cater specifically to those with a history of cancer or cardiovascular conditions, offering targeted protection with several distinct features:
To enhance support for policyholders, FWD has partnered with HKSH Medical Group (HKSH), offering dietetic and health consultations conducted by HKSH dietitians.
Dr Joseph Chan Woon Tong (pictured left), deputy medical superintendent at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, emphasised the importance of comprehensive support for individuals recovering from critical illnesses.
“Advances in medicine have continued to improve cancer survival rates, though many survivors continue to experience post-treatment side effects. With that in mind, we are delighted to expand our collaboration with FWD,” he said.
Through this partnership, FWD policyholders will have access to initial nutritional assessments, ongoing consultations, and health advice tailored to those managing post-treatment challenges.
