AmCham Taiwan Healthy Aging Forum:
2025健康台灣樂齡論壇:公私協力促進全人健康
AmCham Taiwan Healthy Aging Forum:
2025健康台灣樂齡論壇:公私協力促進全人健康
Committee Events & Luncheons
The goals of this Committee have always been to enhance Taiwan’s insurance industry, meet customers’ insurance needs more conveniently, and promote innovation in the industry while maintaining sound risk management practices.
In this year’s White Paper, our focus continues to be the digitalization of Taiwan’s insurance market. We seek to encourage members of the public to enhance their protection by offering convenient and more efficient sales processes through e-commerce, with the expectation that more digital services will improve the overall customer experience and incentivize customers to actively engage with their insurance needs. In addition, building a healthy insurance system can foster closer integration between financial consumers and insurance services.
The Committee sincerely appreciates the government’s efforts to accelerate the development of the insurance industry. We hope the government will remain committed to working with industry to build and maintain a sound and comprehensive industry environment.
Suggestion 1: Deepen the digital application of fintech and accelerate the diversification of Taiwan’s insurance market.
1.1 Consolidate and reduce the regulatory restrictions on e-commerce insurance sales and increase the types and amounts of protection insurance products. The maturity of Taiwan’s online insurance market can largely be attributed to software and hardware developments, a robust telecommunications infrastructure, and a post-pandemic shift in consumer behavior from face-to-face interactions to online searching and price comparison. However, the development of innovative insurance products and services is heavily restricted by stringent data transmission regulations and supervisory practices. Legal limitations set by single or cross-jurisdictional authorities prevent insurers from making significant breakthroughs in customer service and product offerings.
The Committee looks forward to engaging with the Insurance Bureau (IB) of the Financial Supervisory Commission and other authorities to explore ways to simplify digital identity verification mechanisms. Concurrently, we aim to expand the range of personal protection products and increase coverage limits. Our goal is to strike an optimal balance between protecting personal data and fulfilling customer needs by allowing for more product types and simplifying the online purchasing process.
1.2 Allow insurers to share customer information with the customer’s authorization or consent. Given the advancing maturity of big data, blockchain, AI, and cloud technologies, insurers are expected to increasingly leverage these tools through third-party platforms with the goal of providing more convenient and efficient service experiences. We suggest that upon obtaining customer authorization or consent to share their information, insurers or third-party platforms should not have to require customers to register as online insurance members. Instead, the necessary information should be securely transmitted by the bank to insurance companies using encryption, allowing customers to access comprehensive integrated services and avoiding unnecessary burden.
1.3 Enhance incentives for insurers to collaborate with other industries, streamline the application process for inclusive finance trial programs, and broaden the scope of programs. To advance the goal of “inclusive finance” by increasing access to insurance products, the IB is actively promoting collaboration between insurers and various industries through a sandbox initiative. This initiative encourages the development of consumer-centric sales scenarios, streamlined service processes, and accessible, fragmented insurance products.
The existing regulations stipulate that trials must be registered and approved by the IB prior to commencement. Currently, the IB has complete discretion over the duration and specific documentation required for approval. In practice, we have observed that the approval process is lengthy, often spanning several months and requiring extensive documentation.
The Committee recommends several measures to simplify the trial application process for insurers. First, we propose reducing the complexity and duration of the vetting process for trial applications. Second, to increase participation, we suggest offering incentives to insurers and various industries involved in trial programs. For example, insurers could be allocated one or two quotas per year for submitting new products to the IB. Additionally, we suggest more flexible premium limits for online insurance products and a relaxed cap on financial underwriting. These changes are aimed at enhancing the agility and responsiveness of the sector. Lastly, to extend the benefits of successful sandbox trials, we recommend that proven trial initiatives be made available to all insurers without the need for reapplication after a certain period. This allowance should include provisions for remote applications and services, ensuring broader accessibility and implementation.
Suggestion 2: Encourage the development and pro-vision of innovative insurance products and diversified sales channels through open and flexible management practices.
In response to emerging risks, consumer preferences in the insurance sector have shifted dramatically. Traditional, product-oriented approaches are giving way to demand-oriented selection, with a decreasing reliance on pre-packaged insurance products. Instead, there is a growing demand for customized insurance solutions. Additionally, sales channels are evolving from traditional methods to more direct engagements through agents, brokers, or online platforms. To keep pace with these changes, insurers must adapt by developing more comprehensive and diverse product offerings that align with the nuanced needs and expectations of consumers.
Current regulations continue to strictly oversee product design, pricing strategies, and distribution channels, potentially hindering the goal of financial inclusion or the availability of opportunities to access financial services. The Committee suggests introducing more flexibility in life insurance product specifications such as pricing for fragmented policies and enabling further cross-industry collaboration, particularly with the fintech industry.
Moreover, if an insurer has adhered to rigorous internal audits, control systems, and risk management protocols, and has successfully minimized claims disputes, it should be empowered to develop products that better meet consumer demands. Current regulations restrict the number of new products each insurer can develop within a specific period. Flexibility around these limits would enable more dynamic product development by insurers who demonstrate high operational standards. The aim should be to offer simpler service processes and more accessible channels, aligning with evolving market needs.
Suggestion 3: Align environmental, social, and governance management with international standards.
Multinational insurers are increasingly subjected to a variety of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure regimes, including the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the upcoming United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s climate disclosure rules, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ climate disclosure survey, and multiple variations of frameworks provided by the International Sustainability Standards Board and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. Each regime mandates a distinct set of statements and disclosures, leading to significantly increased reporting burdens and potential legal risks for insurers.
Unfortunately, these disparate requirements often do not meaningfully enhance efforts to advance the transition to a net-zero economy. Conversely, by focusing on material issues that facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the real economy, companies could drive genuine environmental change without being overwhelmed by additional reporting demands.
While the Committee is dedicated to supporting climate disclosure initiatives globally and actively promotes efforts to achieve a net-zero carbon economy, we stress the need for the government to acknowledge the distinctive role that insurers play in this transition. The insurance industry holds a societal responsibility to safeguard against risks stemming from lawful economic and social activities, including power generation. As the world economy still relies significantly on fossil fuels during the transition period, insurers play a pivotal role in managing the associated risks. Simultaneously, by restricting underwriting for the most carbon-intensive fossil fuels and endorsing low-carbon alternatives, insurers actively promote the transition to a net-zero economy. We strongly encourage Taiwan to stay abreast of and align with global disclosure standards, eschew impractical mandates, and consider the specific characteristics and contributions of the insurance sector.
促使保險業以更便捷的方式滿足消費者的各面向需求,一向是本委員會持續推動的重要目標,同時我們也期待保險業在健全的風險管理下有更多的創新。在今年的白皮書中,我們持續關注保險市場的數位化發展,希望透過電子商務以更便利及有效率的流程提升消費者體驗,進而促使大眾增加保障型商品的購買意願,並且持續鼓勵保險業者用創新的方式,與異業合作共同建構保險生態圈,以達到普惠金融的目標。
本委員會衷心感謝政府為促進保險產業發展所盡心力,我們期盼與相關部會持續合作,建構並維持健全的產業環境。
建議一:深化金融科技的數位應用,加速台灣保險市場的多元發展
1.1 整合並減少線上保險商品銷售的法規限制,增加保障型保險商品的種類與金額
台灣網路投保市場十分成熟,大致可歸因於完善的軟硬體資訊設備、便捷的電信網絡基礎建設,加上新冠疫情之後,消費者逐漸從面對面的購買行為,轉變為自行上網搜尋或比價選擇適合的保險商品,大幅縮短交易過程;然而,由於資料傳輸和監管規定,創新保險產品和服務的發展受到嚴格的限縮,再加上單一或跨主管機關的法律限制使得保險業者較難提供突破性的客戶體驗。
本委員會期待能與保險局及跨部門的主管機關,探討如何透過數位科技來簡化身分驗證機制,同時放寬人身保障型商品的種類及提高投保金額,期盼在個資保護及滿足客戶需求間取得平衡點。
1.2 允許保險業者在取得客戶授權或同意的情況,得以進行資料共享
因應大數據、區塊鏈、AI以及雲端科技日益成熟,大眾期待各保險業者得透過第三方平台,提供更便利與更高效的保險服務體驗。本委員會建議,當保險業者或是第三方平台取得客戶授權或同意後,不須要求客戶另外線上登錄,即可透過加密方式傳遞客戶資料予保險業者,使客戶不需冗長的過程即獲得完整的資訊整合服務。
1.3 增加保險業與異業合作的誘因,簡化申請流程及放寬試辦範圍
金融監督管理委員會保險局為落實普惠金融的目標,大力推廣並鼓勵各保險業者與異業合作加入試辦計畫,提供更貼近消費者的銷售服務、更精簡的服務流程或碎片化保險。現行規定要求業者試辦前,須先通過保險局審核。委員會謹建議簡化保險業者申請試辦的審核流程、試辦範圍以及審理時程;其次,為增加業者參與試辦的意願,我們建議提供異業結合之相關租稅優惠;最後,為使試辦成功的效益極大化與普及化,針對已試辦成功且超過一定期間的試辦內容,建請開放使各保險業者亦能比照適用該試辦之內容,無須再次申請試辦(包括遠距投保以及遠距服務)。
建議二:為鼓勵保險商品勇於創新以及銷售通路的多元發展,建請將法規架構從核准或審查制,調整為「原則開放,例外管理」之監理模式
因應各種新興風險,近年來消費者對於保險的需求有極大改變,選擇保險商品時已從產品導向轉為需求導向,從直接選購業者提供的套裝商品,轉為需要更多客制化內容;此外,投保管道也不再依賴傳統的業務員通路,逐漸轉向網路投保、異業合作或是數位化的模式。以上種種原因促使保險業者必須回應消費者不斷改變的需求與購買偏好,從而開發更全面亦更多元的保險商品來滿足消費者的期待。
然而,現行法規對於保險商品的設計、定價策略以及銷售通路依然採取高度監理的方式,較難達到普惠金融的政策目標;本委員會希冀在人身保險商品的設計規範能給予更多彈性,(例如碎片化保險的開發),尤其在金融科技方面給予跨領域合作的空間。而且當保險業者已符合內稽內控制度、落實風險管理與控制並避免理賠爭議等配套措施後,保險業者應得以採用簡化的流程進行產品開發。目前的規定限制保險公司在特定期間內能夠開發的新產品數量,我們建議針對營運表現績優的保險公司提供產品開發的靈活性,以提供更簡單的服務流程和更可靠的渠道,配合不斷發展的市場需求。
建議三:與國際接軌的ESG管理
跨國保險公司正日益受到各種ESG揭露制度的約束,包括歐盟- 企業永續報告指令、即將適用的美國證券交易委員會(SEC)氣候揭露規則、美國全國保險協會(NAIC)的氣候揭露調查、國際永續標準委員會以及氣候相關財務揭露(TCFD) 之下的多種框架。每一種制度皆各自要求提供不同版本的聲明和揭露,從而大大增加了保險公司的報告負擔和潛在的法律風險。不幸的是,這些不同的要求往往未必能有效促進我們向零碳排經濟轉型推進的方向。反之,透過專注於實體經濟中促進溫室氣體(GHG)排放減少的重要問題,企業可以推動真正的環境變革,同時又不被額外的報告需求所淹沒。
雖然本委員會致力於全球支持氣候揭露倡議並積極推動實現零碳經濟的努力,我們強調政府應認可保險業在這一轉型過程中所扮演的獨特角色。保險業有社會責任,必須承擔來自合法經濟和社會活動(包括發電)產生的風險。由於在過渡期間,全球經濟仍然大量依賴化石燃料,保險公司在管理相關風險方面扮演了關鍵角色。同時,透過有限度地承保最高碳排放的化石燃料,並支持低碳替代方案,保險公司積極推動社會過渡至零排放經濟。考量保險業的特性和貢獻,我們建議台灣持續與全球揭露標準接軌,避免與實際營運狀況不符之規定。