One of the advantages of not having an insurance industry with hundreds of years of continuous history is that you get to make things up as you go along. So for last Thursday’s “Qixi”, or Chinese Valentine’s day, mainland insurance companies offered “love insurance” – for the spouse who has everything. The policies bear different names and different terms – they may be life policies, accident policies, medical or endowment insurance – but all are marketed as the perfect alternative to chocolates and flowers. Some offer returns linked to length of matrimony. And many stipulate that only the woman can collect on them.
如果某國保險業沒有長達數百年的歷史，好處之一便是它很容易根據形勢的發展靈活加以應對。我們在上週四「七夕」那天（也就是中國的情人節）就認識到了這一點：當天，中國的保險公司瞄準生活美滿的已婚人士推出了「愛情險」。這類保險的名稱和條款多種多樣，它們可能是壽險、意外險、醫療險或養老險。不過，所有這些保險都被宣傳爲巧克力和鮮花的完美替代品。其中一些保險的回報與婚姻持續時間長短掛鉤。此外，許多這類保險都規定，受益人只能是女方。