HSBC to allow same-sex, unmarried couples to be insurance beneficiaries
‘Society is evolving. New and varied family dynamics and relationships are redefining who people are closest to, and thus the nature of financial dependency’, says lender’s insurance chief
Same-sex or unmarried heterosexual couples can now be named as beneficiaries in life insurance policies sold by HSBC Insurance – a breakthrough policy, it said on Thursday, much more in line with today’s modern society.
The expansion also allows grandparents to buy policies for grandchildren, or step-parents for their stepchildren, in a series of moves that the insurance offshoot of the lender said will make life so much easier for customers wanting to buy policies for those with whom they have no legal or blood relationship.
HSBC’s general insurance partner AXA has already made similar changes to its medical and travel insurance policies.
“The changes we are making reflect a need for greater clarity and transparency in addressing new customer needs as a result of a broader range of committed and familial relationships in society today,” said Edward Moncreiffe, chief executive of HSBC Insurance.
“This is the right thing to do. Society is evolving. New and varied family dynamics and relationships are redefining who people are closest to, and thus the nature of financial dependency.”
Until now, Hong Kong’s life insurance industry had limited beneficiaries to relationships by law or blood upon application, with a change in beneficiary without such linkage only allowed after a policy has been issued.