
ZhongAn Insurance, a Chinese online-only insurer, has been making waves in the industry with its customer-centric approach. Founded in 2013, ZhongAn has successfully disrupted traditional insurance models by putting the customer at the forefront of its operations.
By leveraging big data and AI, ZhongAn offers personalized insurance products and services that cater to individual needs. This approach has led to significant growth and recognition for the company.
ZhongAn's customer-centric approach is driven by its mission to provide convenient, efficient, and affordable insurance solutions. The company's focus on customer satisfaction has led to a high customer retention rate.
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Products and Services
ZhongAn has a massive user base of up to 460 million people.
Its customer base is predominantly young, with 60% of users falling within the 20 to 35 age range.
This age group tends to be the first to purchase an insurance policy through the company.
ZhongAn offers a wide range of personalized products and services to its Chinese consumers.
The company has issued over 5.8 billion insurance policies since its inception.
Many of these consumers are taking advantage of the company's innovative approach to insurance.
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Business and Growth

ZhongAn has been aggressively expanding its business through strategic partnerships and subsidiaries. In 2017, it founded ZhongAn International, a subsidiary that focuses on international business.
ZhongAn Technology, another subsidiary, was created in 2016 to focus on R&D in areas like artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and data driven analytics. This subsidiary has already made significant progress, announcing a partnership with AXA Tianping in 2018.
The partnership with AXA Tianping marked the launch of ZhongAn's SaaS platform, which offers insurance companies three key products: accessibility to medical records, online services for compensation, and risk management services.
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Customer-Centricity
Customer-centricity is a crucial aspect of business growth, especially in today's digital age. Traditional insurance companies often focus on offering additional services to better serve customers, but this approach is being disrupted by insurtechs.
Young people in China are buying their first insurance policies directly online because companies like Zhong An make buying insurance easy and convenient. They constantly innovate to put their needs first.
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Insurtechs go beyond traditional insurers by looking at how society is evolving to identify customer needs and develop products and services to meet those changing needs. They use the latest intelligent technologies to achieve this.
The key difference between traditional insurers and insurtechs is their approach to customer-centricity. Insurtechs are not just offering additional services, but are actually changing the way they operate to better serve their customers.
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Business
ZhongAn has a subsidiary called ZhongAn International, founded in December 2017, which has been instrumental in the company's expansion efforts.
In August 2018, ZhongAn created a second partnership with a Boston-based biotechnology company, Orig3n, marking a significant step in its growth strategy.
ZhongAn Technology, another subsidiary created in November 2016, focuses on research and development, with four key areas of focus: artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, cloud computing, and data-driven analytics.
This subsidiary has been at the forefront of innovation, with a partnership agreement with Chinese insurance company AXA Tianping in 2018, launching ZhongAn's SaaS platform.
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The SaaS platform offers insurance companies three key products: accessibility to medical records, online services for compensation, and risk management services.
ZhongAn is also expanding its businesses overseas, with a partnership with Sompo Japan Nipponka, a Japanese insurance company, to create an entirely cloud-based insurance service.
This partnership will enable Sompo Japan Nipponka to enhance its insurance services through technology and digitalization, while providing ZhongAn with a foothold in the international market, specifically in the Asian region.
2020 Profit: $85m
In 2020, ZhongAn reported a profit of $85 million, a notable achievement for the online-only insurer.
China's largest online-only insurer, ZhongAn, saw a 14.2% year-on-year increase in total gross written premiums (GWP) to RMB 16,705.9 million.
This significant growth in premiums was a key driver of ZhongAn's financial performance in 2020.
The company's health and digital lifestyle ecosystem played a crucial role in its success, contributing to its overall profitability.
ZhongAn's operating metrics also improved in 2020, setting the stage for continued growth and expansion.
Digital Transformation
ZhongAn is a pioneer in digital transformation in the insurance industry. The company has developed a comprehensive digital ecosystem that integrates technological research with financial innovation.
ZhongAn's digital capabilities allow for fast and immediate communication with customers, with 97% of customers communicating via chatbots only. This is made possible by the company's powerful digital infrastructure, which enables it to settle claims immediately.
The company's focus on digital transformation has led to significant improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction. For example, ZhongAn's claims underwriting process has improved by 20% due to automation, and over 99% of claims processes are now automated.
ZhongAn's digital transformation efforts have also led to the development of innovative products, such as its life insurance product, which offers the highest ratio of coverage to premiums in Hong Kong.
Here are some key statistics on ZhongAn's digital transformation efforts:
ZhongAn's digital transformation efforts have been recognized by the industry, with the company becoming a member of the first group of state partners for digital transformation in 2020.
Digital Transformation Assistance
ZhongAn Insurance has been a pioneer in digital transformation, with a focus on integrating technology into their insurance business. They've been doing this for over eight years, and it's paid off.
Their cloud technology has enabled them to process 54,000 insurance policies per second, and they've reached a solid foundation for innovation and growth. In 2020, they upgraded their self-developed cloud system, Wujieshan, to version 2.0.
The company has also increased its investments in data R&D, upgrading their data-intelligence center based on big data and artificial intelligence. This has led to a 16 percent increase in data utilization within ZhongAn.
Their technology offerings have seen a compound growth rate of 109 percent from 2017 to 2020. They've also become a member of the first group of state partners for digital transformation, working with leading insurers and banks.
ZhongAn Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZhongAn Insurance, has developed three major insurtech products ready for the market. These products cover the front-end, mid-end, and back-end platforms of the insurance business.

Here are some key statistics on ZhongAn's digital transformation efforts:
ZhongAn's technology has also enabled them to settle claims immediately, such as when a flight is delayed. They're also exploring opportunities to implement digital solutions with their partners in Asia and globally.
The 5 Cs in Platform Economy
The 5 Cs of the platform economy are a key part of the digital transformation journey. Zhong An addresses all five primary pillars: convenience, community, collaboration, curation, and connection.
Convenience is a top priority for platform companies, and Zhong An delivers by offering a seamless user experience. This is crucial for businesses looking to thrive in the emerging insurance ecosystem.
Community is another essential component, as it allows for collaboration and connection among users. By fostering a sense of community, platform companies can create a loyal customer base.
Collaboration is key to unlocking the full potential of a platform economy. By working together, businesses can share resources and expertise to drive innovation.
Curation is the process of carefully selecting and presenting relevant information to users. This helps to build trust and credibility with customers.
Connection is the final C, and it's what ties all the other elements together. By creating meaningful connections between users, businesses can unlock new opportunities and growth.
Partnerships and Investments

ZhongAn has partnered with Orig3n, a Boston-based biotech company, to bring new healthtech solutions to its 500 million Chinese customers.
This partnership is a significant move for ZhongAn, which has already made a name for itself as China's largest online-only insurer.
ZhongAn has also raised $1.5 billion during its oversubscribed IPO on the Hong Kong stock exchange in late 2017, a testament to its financial strength and growth potential.
The company is eyeing insurtech expansion in Asia and various Belt and Road countries, with its CEO noting its strong track record in China.
ZhongAn's partnership with Orig3n is a key part of its strategy to bring innovative healthtech solutions to its customers, and it will be interesting to see how this partnership develops in the future.
Future Development
ZhongAn's future development is focused on achieving data-driven, high-quality growth. They aim to continue their online business model and technology empowerment.
Investing in independent R&D is a key priority for ZhongAn. This will help them refine their technology capabilities.
Guided by their aim to create long-term value, ZhongAn will use insurtech to drive digital upgrades in the global insurance industry.
Industry Trends and Insights
ZhongAn is at the forefront of the insurtech industry, leveraging technology to revolutionize the traditional insurance model. The company's mobile-only business model has enabled it to reach a wider customer base and reduce costs.
With over 100 million registered users, ZhongAn has successfully created a digital ecosystem that integrates various services, including insurance, financial, and healthcare. This has not only increased customer engagement but also provided a platform for data-driven decision-making.
ZhongAn's innovative approach to insurance has also led to the development of new products and services, such as its popular "auto insurance" product, which has been a huge success in China.
Insurtech Expansion in Asia and Belt and Road Countries
ZhongAn, China's largest online-only insurer, is eyeing insurtech expansion in Asia and Belt and Road countries.
The company sees an abundance of opportunities to export insurance technology across these regions.
ZhongAn has a strong track record in China, but now it's looking to expand its reach.

Bill Song, CEO of ZA Tech Global Limited, has noted the firm's success in China, but now it's time to take it to the next level.
ZhongAn International, a subsidiary of ZhongAn Online P&C Co., has partnered with SoftBank Vision Fund to help expand its insurtech solutions in overseas markets.
This partnership will see ZhongAn establish a new operating entity to work with SoftBank on expanding its business.
ZhongAn's goal is to establish a presence in various Belt and Road countries through this partnership.
With SoftBank's investment, ZhongAn is well-positioned to expand its insurtech solutions in Asia and beyond.
Postpandemic Industry Trends
The pandemic has brought about a significant shift in the insurance industry, accelerating the digitalization process and increasing customers' expectations for digital insurance. This has led to traditional insurers actively pushing for digital transformations to meet those needs.
The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of investing in digital transformation, as online insurers like ZhongAn have shown impressive growth. ZhongAn's premium income grew by over 44 percent year-over-year in May, demonstrating the rapid growth of the online insurance market.
In the post-pandemic era, the domestic health insurance market is expected to continue growing due to increasing awareness of health issues and evolving regulations. This presents a significant opportunity for insurers to develop their core competitiveness.
Online insurers may have an advantage in this new landscape, but it's not a guarantee of success. To thrive, insurers need to focus on in-depth user-data mining and innovations driven by customer needs.
The insurance industry is entering an era of customer-centric digital growth, and those who adapt will be better positioned for success.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZhongAn
- https://insuranceblog.accenture.com/what-can-insurers-learn-from-chinese-insurtech-giant-zhong-an
- https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/technology-driven-growth-in-china-an-interview-with-jiang-xing
- https://www.reinsurancene.ws/tag/zhongan-insurance/
- https://www.reinsurancene.ws/zhongan-unveils-roadmap-for-ai-and-aigc-integration-into-insurance-sector/
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