Taiwan’s first cancer-specific medical insurance: Fubon Life Love for Real rider Qorus-NTT DATA Innovation in Insurance Awards 2026

I. Concept and Objectives The core concept of “Love for Real Protection” is to respond to the global trend toward precision medicine and the outpatientization of cancer treatment, and to address the protection gaps in Taiwan’s medical insurance market. As traditional medical insurance policies have largely relied on hospitalization as a prerequisite for claims, they no longer align with the significant changes in modern cancer treatment models. Advanced therapies such as targeted drug therapy, proton therapy, and immunotherapy are increasingly delivered on an outpatient basis. As a result, medical insurance policies purchased in the past may not provide reimbursement, leaving patients unable to afford the high out-of-pocket expenses associated with these new treatment options. This has placed a heavy financial burden on patients and their families, led to inefficient use of medical resources, and triggered societal controversy over “unnecessary hospitalization.” The objective of this product is to create a cancer-exclusive indemnity medical insurance policy under which any medical expenses incurred as a result of cancer treatment are covered, regardless of whether the treatment is provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Through the introduction of a deductible design to reduce premium costs, the policy enables policyholders to enhance their indemnity protection at a more affordable price, thereby realizing the vision of “upgraded protection with uninterrupted access to treatment.”

II. Underlying Rationale The development of this product was driven by in-depth insights into market trends and policyholder needs. In recent years, the proportion of out-of-pocket medical expenses in Taiwan has continued to rise, requiring individuals to bear a greater share of healthcare costs and highlighting the growing importance of indemnity-based medical insurance products. An analysis of policyholders’ claims data revealed that cancer represents the largest source of claims under indemnity medical insurance, while continuous advances in innovative treatments have pushed treatment costs into the millions. Although Taiwan’s National Health Insurance covers standard therapies, most advanced treatments require self-payment, resulting in significant gaps in medical protection for the public.

In addition, while the majority of policyholders have previously purchased indemnity medical insurance, coverage limits are often insufficient to cope with the high costs of advanced treatments, creating a major pain point. To address this issue, we designed a cancer-exclusive indemnity medical insurance product incorporating a deductible mechanism, enabling policyholders to layer additional protection on top of their existing policies at a more affordable premium. This approach effectively responds to the needs of the precision medicine era in cancer treatment.

III. Source of Inspiration The design inspiration for this product stemmed from media reports on the National Health Insurance Administration’s review of the necessity of short-term hospitalization for cancer treatment. Following policy adjustments, some hospitals no longer allowed cancer patients to receive inpatient treatment for certain therapies, such as targeted therapy, resulting in frequent insurance claims disputes and growing patient dissatisfaction. We observed that the determination of “medical necessity for hospitalization” is highly subjective, with differing standards among stakeholders, while the market lacked a cancer-exclusive insurance policy that does not restrict treatment methods, care settings (outpatient or inpatient), or specific medications or surgical procedures.

In response, we developed “Love for Real Protection,” under which claims are payable once medical expenses arising from cancer treatment exceed the deductible, regardless of whether the treatment is received on an outpatient or inpatient basis. This approach comprehensively resolves longstanding disputes related to “non-inpatient treatment” and represents a truly patient-centric protection solution focused on real medical needs.

IV. Competitive Landscape Most indemnity-based medical insurance products in the market continue to use hospitalization as the primary threshold for claims, with limited coverage specifically designed for outpatient cancer treatment. “Love for Real Protection” was the first to introduce an outpatient cancer reimbursement mechanism, creating clear market differentiation and opening a new blue ocean in cancer-specific indemnity medical insurance.

V. Participating Departments and Strategy This product project adopted a cross-functional innovation initiative centered on Philip Kotler’s concept of “entrepreneurial marketing,” breaking away from the traditional “inside-out” insurance product development model. Instead, it took market pain points and genuine customer needs as the starting point, driving cross-department collaboration and agile decision-making. From the early stages of development, teams from product development, actuarial, compliance, marketing, information technology, and sales were jointly involved. By integrating big data analytics with frontline feedback, the project ensured that the product design achieved a balanced alignment among innovation, regulatory compliance, and market competitiveness. The marketing strategy focused on three key dimensions to deliver a more diversified and accessible policyholder experience: 1.Policyholder Communication: By integrating resources such as the National Health Insurance Administration’s “My Health Bank” app, the NHI–commercial insurance collaboration portal, and plain-language interpretations of policy terms, the initiative enhanced policyholders’ understanding of coverage and improved accessibility. 2.Digital Sales: The development of the “Policy Health Check Toolbox,” a policy review and diagnostic system, together with the creation of the patented digital tool FBFLi, enables tied-agents to conduct more precise and effective marketing. 3.Corporate Mission: Aligned with ESG initiatives, the company partnered with cancer foundations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to promote medical transportation matching services for cancer patients in underserved and rural areas.

VI. Key Achievements Launched in August 2024, “Love for Real Protection” had more than 11,000 active policies by the end of 2025, generating total premium income of approximately NT$30 million (around USD 1 million). The product provides policyholders with annual cancer medical coverage of up to NT$3 million to NT$5 million (approximately USD 100,000 to USD 170,000), creating an annual cancer medical protection network of up to NT$37 billion (approximately USD 1.2 billion) across the entire policyholder base. Notably, 60% of policyholders are new customers, demonstrating strong market recognition. In addition, the product has been integrated with charity initiatives, further enhancing the brand’s image of social responsibility.

VII. Product Impact and Future Outlook “Love for Real Protection” is leading the insurance industry in responding to evolving healthcare trends by helping the public close gaps in medical protection, reducing the waste of medical resources caused by unnecessary hospitalization, and improving access to advanced cancer treatments. Looking ahead, we will continue to enhance coverage design while leveraging AI and big data to introduce incentive-based mechanisms and more personalized protection. Through these efforts, insurance will evolve beyond a risk management tool to become a trusted partner in promoting healthier lives.