The Hubei Provincial Financial Regulatory Bureau has issued a notice to provincial branches of insurance companies within its jurisdiction, titled "Advisory on Regulating the Provision of Extra-Contractual Benefits Such as 'Special Drug Cards' in Insurance Business Activities." The notice strictly prohibits the improper gifting of benefit cards, including "Special Drug Cards" and "CAR-T Cards," to insurance consumers. The bureau identified during its supervision that some insurers were distributing such cards during sales activities, an action suspected of providing policyholders or insured persons with benefits not stipulated in their insurance contracts.
The advisory points out that the providers of these benefit cards, such as "Special Drug Cards" and "CAR-T Cards," are third-party organizations. These entities do not possess the necessary financial business operating licenses. Their products mimic the clause design and coverage responsibilities of genuine insurance products, which can easily lead to disputes between consumers, the third-party organizations, and the insurance companies.
Regulatory authorities have demanded that all insurance companies strictly adhere to regulations, standardize their business practices, and strengthen the management of their sales agents. They are explicitly forbidden from distributing benefit cards to consumers during insurance activities. Companies are also prohibited from purchasing, stockpiling, or distributing these cards for use in customer solicitation, sales promotion, or policy reviews. Furthermore, it is forbidden to misleadingly associate the benefits of these cards with the insurance company during product promotion or explanation, implying that the insurer provides the card's benefits. Insurers must not conflate the advertised functions of these cards, such as special drug subsidies or expense reimbursements, with the actual coverage responsibilities of the insurance product, which would constitute a misrepresentation of coverage and deceive consumers.
The advisory requires all insurance companies to immediately conduct self-inspections and corrections. They must comprehensively investigate whether any branches at any level within their jurisdiction are engaged in the practice of gifting "Special Drug Cards," "CAR-T Cards," or other similar benefit cards, or providing any other extra-contractual benefits. Any such practices must cease immediately, and companies should actively work to resolve any resulting disputes to prevent risks and potential issues. Simultaneously, companies are instructed to enhance internal control management, implement robust compliance training, and strictly oversee personnel and sales channels to decisively prevent the purchase and use of these benefit cards in insurance business activities.
The notice also encourages insurance companies, while operating in accordance with the law, to细分客户需求细分客户需求 (segment customer needs) and explore differentiated service measures to meet the requirements of diverse groups. It is crucial to distinguish between legitimate value-added services and the illegal provision of extra-contractual benefits, firmly upholding compliance standards and refraining from offering value-added services that violate regulatory provisions.
Special drugs primarily refer to high-cost, targeted medications for treating rare diseases or major illnesses. CAR-T therapy is a novel precision-targeted treatment for tumors, which has shown significant clinical results in recent years after optimization. The common characteristic of special drugs and CAR-T therapy is their high cost, often reaching hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan. However, unlike the specific drug coverage responsibilities clearly defined within an insurance contract, "Special Drug Cards" are primarily offered by third-party organizations and are not insurance products, making it difficult for consumer rights to be effectively protected.
Some insurance agents distributing these benefit cards during sales activities not only涉嫌涉嫌 (are suspected of) providing extra-contractual benefits but also easily trigger disputes between consumers, third-party organizations, and insurers. Previously, the Henan Provincial Financial Regulatory Bureau also issued a notice to companies under its supervision, instructing them to investigate whether branches were gifting "Special Drug Cards," "CAR-T Cards," or similar benefit cards to consumers.
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