The China Insurance Association officially released the Elderly-friendly Service Standards for Insurance Institutions on May 13, 2025, marking a significant step in improving financial services for the country’s rapidly aging population. With over 310 million citizens aged 60 and above—representing 22% of China’s total population—these standards aim to standardize and elevate insurance services tailored to seniors’ unique needs. Developed through extensive industry collaboration, the guidelines provide a framework for insurers to enhance accessibility, transparency, and consumer protection for elderly policyholders.
Industry-Wide Collaboration Yields Practical Solutions
Led by China Life Insurance and Sunshine Property & Casualty Insurance, the standards were crafted by a working group comprising major industry players, including Ping An, CPIC, and PICC. The initiative, which began in early 2024, involved rigorous research into the challenges seniors face when accessing insurance services, drawing on best practices across the sector. Multiple rounds of expert review and public consultation ensured the final standards balance practicality with innovation, addressing gaps in existing elderly-focused services.
Enhancing Elderly Care Through Service Standards
The guidelines prioritize people-centric design by aligning with national aging policies, ensuring services meet seniors’ physical and cognitive needs. This includes simplifying paperwork, improving communication clarity, and adapting processes across all service channels—counters, online platforms, and phone support. The standards also promote forward-looking flexibility, encouraging insurers to integrate digital tools for remote assistance and health-management services while maintaining baseline requirements for uniformity.
Operational Improvements for Senior Support
Practical reforms focus on simplifying sales processes with plain-language explanations, slower speech, and verification of understanding. Claims procedures are streamlined through 24/7 hotlines, single-visit documentation, and proxy services for homebound seniors. Additionally, safeguards against exploitation prohibit misleading product comparisons and impose stricter oversight on sales targeting elderly clients, ensuring their protection and dignity.
Strategic Impact and Next Steps
The standards not only address immediate service gaps but also pave the way for innovative products like long-term care insurance and chronic-disease coverage. By harmonizing industry practices, they aim to boost seniors’ financial inclusion while reinforcing insurers’ social responsibilities. Implementation will be closely monitored, with success hinging on insurers’ ability to translate these guidelines into tangible improvements—a critical test as China’s demographic shift accelerates.
A Model for Aging Societies Globally
As one of the world’s most comprehensive elderly insurance frameworks, China’s initiative could inform similar efforts elsewhere. The focus on both foundational protections and adaptive solutions reflects a nuanced understanding of aging populations’ evolving needs, setting a benchmark for the financial sector’s role in fostering dignity and security in later life.
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