The evolving role of unit linked insurance in the digital era

Life insurance is evolving beyond its traditional role of financial protection combined with investment, with an increasing focus on flexibility, long-term planning, and, in some cases, value transfer across generations.

In line with this trend, Prudential Vietnam is developing unit-linked insurance solutions with greater flexibility to better support customers’ long-term financial management needs. At the same time, the application of technology in policy administration and claims processing is helping to simplify procedures and enhance the overall customer experience.

With the PRU-Đầu Tư Vững Tiến (PRU-Wealth Forward) unit-linked insurance product, customers can allocate their investments across seven PRUlink funds, offering a diverse range of risk levels and flexibility to support investment strategies aligned with their financial goals and risk appetite. The product also includes bonus features that help enhance the policy’s account value over time.

By participating, customers can transfer their accumulated value through the establishment of a new insurance policy, thereby facilitating financial planning and building a solid financial foundation for future generations.

The product offers protection against risks with benefits of up to 110 per cent of the Sum Assured in addition to the Policy Account Value.

This is applied to the Death Benefit or Total and Permanent Disability Benefit not caused by early-stage thyroid cancer at 100 per cent of the sum assured. For total and permanent disability caused by early-stage thyroid cancer, Prudential will pay 10 per cent of the Sum Assured, capped at VND100 million ($4,000).

Alternatively, with the universal life insurance product PRUBảo Vệ Tối Đa 2.0 (PRUMax Protect 2.0), customers are protected against risks, while also being able to accumulate wealth in a sustainable and flexible manner through financial plans tailored to their individual needs..

With PRUBảo Vệ Tối Đa 2.0 (PRUMax Protect 2.0), every premium paid is always maximised for its protection value. Image courtesy of Prudential Vietnam

PRUBảo Vệ Tối Đa 2.0 (PRUMax Protect 2.0) offers two plan options that both deliver optimal protection value, which can be combined with a diverse portfolio of supplementary insurance products, thereby helping customers build a financial fund against risks such as accidents, critical illnesses, healthcare needs, and more.

Alongside the protection benefits, the product also supports customers in financial accumulation through guaranteed interest rates and attractive bonuses (such as the Customer Loyalty Bonus and Contract Maintenance Bonus), subject to terms and conditions.

Additionally, a variety of flexible options are provided, allowing customers to actively adjust their financial plans across different life stages.

Through PRUOnline, customers can conveniently access policy information, pay premiums, and manage their contracts via mobile devices or computers. In addition, insurance transactions can be conducted through the official Zalo channel, helping to save time and improve accessibility.

Since 2024, Prudential has applied next-generation Optical Character Recognition technology to its underwriting and online claims assessment processes. With processing times of under 20 seconds and an accuracy rate of up to 96 per cent in extracting information from images into text, this technology enables near real-time validation of documents and helps accelerate decision-making in claims processing.

According to Prudential, the advancement of digital technology is gradually reshaping how individuals access and manage their personal finances. Today, users can explore a wide range of investment channels such as equities, mutual funds, and other financial products while also managing their finances more efficiently through online platforms and applications.

From tracking expenses to automating savings and transactions, these tools and aforementioned products are making financial management increasingly accessible and convenient.

Among the growing middle-income segment financial priorities are also evolving. Beyond meeting essential needs, there is increasing interest in long-term financial planning, retirement preparation, and wealth accumulation.

According to Vietnam Briefing, the middle class in Vietnam accounted for around 13 per cent of the population in 2023 and is projected to reach over 50 per cent by 2030. This suggests that within every 3-5 years, the size of this segment could effectively double. At the same time, their disposable income is estimated to grow by 8-10 per cent annually, contributing to notable shifts in spending and investment patterns.

In this context, financial solutions such as unit-linked insurance that combines protection with investment, as offered by Prudential Vietnam, are drawing greater attention.

According to statistics from the Vietnam Insurance Association (IAV), in the third quarter (Q3) new business revenue in the life insurance sector surpassed $247 million, showing a slight increase compared to the same period in 2023 which scored $244.7 million.

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