FWD’s Crisis USupporter / Crisis USupporter Pro offer critical illness plan with innovative family care concept

FWD Hong Kong (FWD) launched the Crisis USupporter/Crisis Usupporter Pro Protection Plan. Designed around an innovative approach to family care, the critical illness plan provides several first of its kind protections in Hong Kong², such as coverage for infertility treatment. The optional Family Booster provides disease and critical illness cover for the insured’s parents and children. In addition, the plans provide multiple benefits for an enhanced range of designated crises up to seven times, with maximum total coverage over 1400% of the initial sum insured³.

According to FWD’s recent survey, Healthcare Protection in the Greater Bay Area (GBA)⁴, 76% of Hong Kong respondents anticipate that an increase in medical expenditure for themselves and their family members will create a very heavy or rather heavy financial burden in the next ten years. The survey’s respondents expect such medical expenditure to increase by over 20% in the next 10 years, with the costliest being treatment for critical/serious illnesses (such as cancer, cardiac diseases and stroke).

“Traditionally, the focus of critical illness protection was on the insured person alone, but our survey reveals that overall family medical expenses are a source of pressure for many, whether in times of health or illness. In light of this, we have integrated the innovative Family Booster option into Crisis Usupporter/Crisis Usupporter Pro to take care of the health of three generations, protecting the insured, their parents and their children through easy application without health underwriting. In the future we hope to extend protection to expected newborns as well,” said Kelvin Yu, Chief Product Officer for FWD Hong Kong & Macau. “FWD is also the first insurer in Hong Kong to collaborate with Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA)⁵ in providing eligible customers the eCare Link^® APP service to ensure better support in managing their family’s health. We hope to expand the family care concept to more products, services and partnerships, bringing more healthcare and other benefits to our customers and the community in the future,” Kelvin continued.

Fully supports family needs; first of its kind protections and services in Hong Kong² 

Family protections⁶ offered by Crisis USupporter/Crisis Usupporter Pro include:

1. Infertility benefit: If the insured has undergone fertility treatment which is confirmed by a medical practitioner to be medically necessary due to the diagnosis of such a crisis.  
2. Family Booster (optional benefit): Without health underwriting, critical illness coverage for the insured’s parents, including cancer, heart attack or stroke, and critical illness coverage for 62 crises for the insured’s children⁷. 

In addition to innovative family health protections, Crisis USupporter/Crisis USupporter Pro also include several first-in-market² benefits, including:

1. Extended Critical Medical Care Benefit⁸: Extra protection for the insured is available if he/she is admitted to an intensive care unit within one year after the date of first confirmed diagnosis of such crisis. 
2. Crisis Medical Booster Benefit⁸: Reimbursement of the cost of experimental drugs for the insured for the treatment of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease within 2 years from the date of first confirmed diagnosis.
3. Big 3 Disease Income Benefit: Yearly or monthly cash benefits for the insured following diagnosis of any of the three major critical illnesses (cancer, heart attack or stroke), during a designated period.
4. FWD Care – Lifestyle Management Programme⁹: Tailored professional rehabilitation programme, referral services and Alzheimer’s disease support programme.

Collaborating with the SCHSA to provide innovative family health support 

FWD is also the first insurance company in Hong Kong to partner with SCHSA to offer eCare Link^® APP services. Eligible customers¹⁰ of designated insurance products, including Crisis USupporter series products, can subscribe to the basic version of SCHSA’s eCare Link^® APP for one year at the discounted price of HKD1 within the promotion period, providing access for one of their parents or in-laws. The APP’s main functions include reminders to take medicines, outpatient appointment booking, emergency aid and real-time information, to help users develop healthy habits and support their family members in a digital way. For details on the promotion and subscription, please refer to https://campaign.fwd.com.hk/pdf/eCarelink_flyer_EN.pdf.

Maura Wong, Chief Executive Officer of SCHSA, said: “The use of smartphones has become more common that many caregivers or even elderly are good at using mobile applications. Therefore, SCHSA launched the eCare Link^® APP in 2021, providing healthy life management support for the elderly, with functions like physical condition management as well as interaction with family members, allowing our elderly to enjoy an independent life whilst giving their family members and caregivers peace of mind. We are very pleased to launch this innovative collaboration with FWD, achieving the mission of caring for our elderly and enabling them to age at home, so that more caregivers can benefit from the digital service of the eCare Link^® APP.” 

Crisis USupporter/Crisis USupporter Pro provides customers with a payment term of up to 30 years. For a 30-year-old non-smoking insured female, with an insured sum of HKD600,000 and a payment term of 30 years, the premium is only about HKD40.6 or HKD44.3 per day¹¹ for Crisis USupporter and Crisis USupporter Pro, respectively. For further product information, please visit: https://www.fwd.com.hk/en/products/critical-illness/crisis-usupporter-series.

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The Crisis USupporter/Crisis USupporter Pro Protection Plan is underwritten by FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited (incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability). The above information is for reference only and does not contain the full terms and conditions, key product risks and full list of exclusions of the policy. For the details of benefits and key product risks, please refer to the product brochure downloadable at https://www.fwd.com.hk/en/products/critical-illness/crisis-usupporter-series; and for exact terms and conditions and the full list of exclusions, please refer to the policy provisions of the plan.

¹Additional subscription needed for this service. This offer is arranged by FWD and provided by SCHSA and its team (if any). It is not part of the policy or coverage of the designated insurance products. The information provided in this article is for reference only.
²Per a comparison made on 31 Mar 2023 among the critical illness insurance plans of key insurers available in Hong Kong, FWD is the first insurance company in Hong Kong to launch Infertility Benefit, Big 3 Disease Income Benefit, Lifestyle Management Programme, Crisis Medical Booster Benefit for Designated Crises, Extended Critical Medical Care Benefit and Family Booster (optional benefit).
³Maximum total coverage can reach 1407% of the initial sum insured for Crisis USupporter Pro (without Family Booster). The calculation includes Crisis Benefit (100%) and Multiple Benefit for Designated Crises (maximum 990%), Additional Coverage Benefit (75%) (for the insured whose issued age is above 35 at next birthday), Big 3 Disease Income Benefit (maximum 62% for Crisis USupporter Pro), Life Impact Benefit (maximum 100%), Infertility Benefit (10%), Crisis Medical Booster Benefit for Designated Crises (only applicable under Crisis USupporter Pro) (maximum 20%), and Extended Critical Medical Care Benefit (only applicable under Crisis USupporter Pro) (50%).
⁴FWD Greater Bay Area’s survey on healthcare protection reveals 75% of respondents in Hong Kong are concerned about an anticipated increase in medical expenditure in the next decade.
⁵As of 24 Apr 2023, FWD is the first insurer in Hong Kong to collaborate with SCHSA in providing the eCare Link^® APP.
⁶For more information, please refer to the relevant policy terms and product brochure.
⁷The benefit is available when the covered parent and the covered child has the first confirmed diagnosis after the Policy has been in force for 2 or more consecutive years from the Policy Date. 
⁸Only applicable under Crisis USupporter Pro.
⁹This service is provided by a third-party service provider, subject to terms and conditions.
¹⁰Eligible customers refer to the policyholders/ policy owners or insured/ insured persons of designated insurance products and must be subscribers to this offer. Designated insurance products mean any of the following products: Crisis OneCover Prime, Crisis USupporter Pro, Crisis USupporter and vTheOne Medical Plan.
¹¹Calculation based on annual premium/365 days, without the Family Booster (optional benefit).

About FWD Hong Kong & Macau

FWD Hong Kong and Macau are part of the FWD Group, a fast-growing pan-Asian life insurer with more than 10 million customers across 10 markets, including some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world. FWD is a top 3 life insurer by new business first year premium in Hong Kong*, and a top 1 life insurer by premium growth income in Macau**. 

FWD Hong Kong has been assigned strong financial ratings by international agencies. It offers life and medical insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning. FWD Macau provides a suite of life and medical insurance products.

FWD reached its 10-year anniversary in 2023. The company is focused on making the insurance journey simpler, faster and smoother, with innovative propositions and easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD is committed to changing the way people feel about insurance.

For more information about FWD Hong Kong and Macau please visit www.fwd.com.hk and www.fwd.com.mo.

* Source: Provisional Statistics on Hong Kong Long Term Insurance Business - January to December 2022, Insurance Authority of Hong Kong. The calculation combines individual and group businesses, and non-bank insurers.  
** Source: Provisional Statistics of Life Insurance in Macau, January to December 2022, Autoridade Monetaria de Macau.