This past week, Malaysia became the latest Southeast Asian country to announce plans to further develop its private hospital network in an attempt to better compete in the lucrative global medical tourism industry. Skyrocketing healthcare costs in developed Western countries coupled with the continued progress of the global economy has encouraged many people to now venture abroad to more cost effective…

Worried that someone could hijack that jewel-encrusted battleaxe you worked tirelessly for in World of Warcraft, or sabotage your long-standing account on EVE Online? Those of you spending an inordinate amount of time playing massively multiplayer online games may soon have a way to protect your hard-fought virtual assets from loss. In what could be the start of a new trend, a Chinese insurance company…

In what could be seen as positive news for the international insurance industry, around 90 percent of European insurers and reinsurers have met minimum solvency requirements and passed the second stress test conducted by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) this week. These tests are important as they examine how insurance companies would cope with varying degrees…

Nippon Life Insurance Company, Japan's largest life insurer by revenue, has announced plans to expand overseas and invest €500 million (US$725 million) in a unit of Allianz SE, with the transaction expected to close later in the week. This deal marks the Japanese company's first investment in a European peer, and it is also the first time that the German insurance giant has issued contingent capital…

This week, the Commission on Funding of Care and Support presented its long-awaited findings to the British government in its landmark Fairer Care Funding Report. This commission, headed by economist Andrew Dilnot, was launched last year by the coalition government to present an independent review of the funding system for social support in Britain and to offer recommendations on how long-term care…

When buying a car, you consider purchasing auto insurance. When looking for a job, you inquire about the life or medical insurance benefits. When moving into a new house, you research home insurance. So why, then, do most pet-owners not purchase pet insurance for their new four-legged friends? 43 million households in the United States have a dog, according to the American Veterinary Medical…

Canadian insurer, Sun Life Financial has launched a single premium, whole-life insurance product for its US-based clients with a new linked benefit rider that enables owners to contribute towards vital long-term care. The new policy, named Sun Care Whole Life, can be used to pay towards in-home/assisted-living care or nursing home facilities and will hope to address the substantial number of Americans…

Foreign patients who are being treated at South Korean healthcare facilities will soon be able to receive guaranteed compensation from the government in the event of medical malpractice. Korean hospitals will also be allowed to sell pharmaceuticals directly to foreign patients, circumventing the previous referral process, and outside medical staff visiting South Korea for training purposes will become…