You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

April 27, 2011

Business Method Patents for Life Insurance

Bangkok Post, Corporate Counsellor Column

Since ideas, concepts, processes, or solutions to design new life insurance products are patentable business methods in other countries, it is therefore surprising that life insurance companies in Thailand are able to copy life insurance products that are newly launched in the market. Business methods are new methods of doing business often found in many industries—especially in the services business sector such as insurance, banking and finance, tax compliance, and e-commerce. Since business methods are invented to increase business competitiveness, they are protectable to encourage creativity and boost industrial growth. Patent protection of business methods appears to be the ideal means of protecting these intangible assets

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

January 19, 2017
The Ministry of Finance has issued two separate Notifications, published yesterday, with immediate effect, in the Government Gazette, that will relax the foreign shareholding and board limits for life and non-life insurance companies, for the purpose of promoting stability for insurance companies and the insurance industry.
December 1, 2016
On November 29, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) in Thailand announced that it had approved, in principle, draft notifications that set out the criteria, procedures, and conditions for the issuing and offering for sale of both life and general insurance products through online channels.The key features of the draft notifications are as follows:   
September 2, 2016
Many people are approached by “investment consultants” selling various investment products and/or life insurance. One of the products they commonly offer is life insurance that is written to pay a benefit based on the performance of particular investments. They may refer to this as an “insurance wrapper,” or explain that the investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) are held “inside” the insurance. Whatever the informal description, it is important to understand that activities involving these types of products are subject to strict regulation under Thai law.
August 10, 2016
On July 1, 2016, the Vietnam government enacted with immediate effect Decree No. 73/2016/ND-CP guiding the Law on Insurance Business 2000, as amended in 2010 (Decree 73). Decree 73 replaces Decree No. 45/2007/ND-CP (and its amendments) and Decree No. 46/2007/ND-CP.Decree 73 introduces the following key changes to the reinsurance business in Vietnam: