Pru Life, Shopee ink deal to sell dengue insurance

LIFE insurer Pru Life UK Philippines Inc. (Pru Life UK) announced the insurer partnered with Shopee Southeast Asia Ltd., operator of eponymous e-commerce platform, to sell a health insurance product against dengue.

Pru Life UK’S statement read Shopee’s “wide reach and high user base makes it an ideal platform” to connect Filipinos to budget-friendly insurance products.

Pru Life UK President and CEO Eng Teng Wong said in a statement the insurer “strongly believes that Filipinos from all walks of life should have easy access to life insurance products.”

“Being on the Shopee platform aims to encourage everyone to protect themselves and those who matter to them with products at price points they can afford,” Wong added.

The insurer’s announcement comes as the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 65,190 dengue cases nationwide from January 1 to July 22, an 83-percent jump compared to the figure logged in the same period last year. So far, 274 deaths due to dengue were reported.

Over 16,000 dengue cases have been recorded in the past month, with Central Luzon accounting for the most number of infections, the DOH said on Tuesday.

“Offering insurance products at affordable prices is something we will always push for because we want to promote financial inclusion by offering protection coverage to all Filipinos and help everyone get the most out of life,” Wong added.

The executive said the company will be adding other types of plans to cater to different protection and financial needs of Filipinos in the coming months.

Shopee users can purchase e-vouchers for the insurer’s medical care products that are redeemable in Pru Life UK’S health and wealth mobile app.

Both products are available in two different packages and offer a lump sum benefit of P10,000 for the life insured if one is diagnosed with dengue, the insurer said. A product being sold also provides a lump sum benefit of P100,000 if the life assured passes away due to dengue, Pru Life Uk added.

Its health insurance packages are priced at P200 and P300. One of its package, called “Prudengue Medcare Pro,” particularly Package A and B, can be bought at P240 and P350, respectively.

All Package A products offer six months of dengue coverage while all Package B products cover 12 months.

Filipinos aged 18-59 are eligible to buy the product as the policy owner and they can also avail it for their kids who are aged 1-17. Overseas Filipino Workers may also buy the e-vouchers in Shopee and share them with their loved ones in the Philippines. The policy owner and the life insured must be in the country at the time of the sale/redemption in Pulse.