Cathay Life was established in 1962. During the early years of the insurance industry, the company earned a reputation as an industry pioneer. Through half a century filled with competition and challenges, the company has remained true to its core values of
integrity, accountability, and innovation, and has conscientiously served the people. At present, Cathay Life has nearly eight million
customers and over fifteen million valid contracts, making it Taiwan’s largest insurance company.
Cathay Financial Holdings was formally established in 2001. Cathay Life Insurance set up a financial holding company that consolidates financial products and services such as life insurance, property insurance, banking, and securities by establishing an integrated information platform and developing cross-industry marketing strategies. In this way, the company can provide its customers with convenient, one-stop services.
Cathay Life Insurance set out to develop the Asian market as a response to the challenges of globalization. The most important target was the budding market in mainland China. After several years of planning and preparation, Cathay Life became the first Taiwanese firm to establish an insurance company in the Mainland when Cathay Life Insurance (China) was officially established in January, 2005. In December 2007, the company successfully obtained a business license issued by the Ministry of Finance in Vietnam and established Cathay Life
Insurance (Vietnam), making it the first domestic company to set up an insurance subsidiary in Vietnam.
Since its inception, Cathay Life has sought to give back to the community, and has spared no effort in organizing public service activities. In fact, shouldering social responsibility has become a principle tenet of the company’s business philosophy. Cathay Life is deeply engaged in arts, sports, and social assistance endeavors. In addition to sponsoring the Cathay Life women’s basketball team, we have also been sponsoring outdoor performances all across Taiwan by the Cloud Gate Dance Theater since 1996. The company makes annual contributions to charitable organizations, and our employees volunteer their time and donate money whenever natural disasters occur. This is Cathay Life Insurance’s commitment to society.
“Sustainable management” is a commitment to corporate social responsibility. It is our goal to become a sustainable company that brings stability and happiness to society and spurs sustainable growth in the industry. In 2016, Cathay Life became the first Asian life insurance company to voluntarily comply with the United Nations’ Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI). It implements sustainability from three perspectives of environment, society, and corporate governance, and has also established the Cathay Life Insurance Corporate Sustainability (CS) Task Force. Cathay Life Insurance keeps abreast of international trends in sustainability and studies related issues to gain a more in-depth perspective that allows it to implement sustainable development in the insurance industry. We also look forward to consolidating our core functions to expand our influence as a corporate citizen.
Over the years, Cathay Life Insurance’s contributions to the insurance industry and social welfare have been repeatedly recognized both at home and abroad. The company has received accolades including first prize in the Best Brand Awards, grand prize in the Top Service Awards, first prize in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Awards, and the Digital Service Awards Benchmark Enterprise award from
Business Next. Cathay Life has also been recognized by the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, the Asia Insurance Technology Awards, and has garnered a Stevie Award for Sales & Customer Service. Cathay Life Insurance was the sole Taiwan financial company to make the
Fortune 500 list. At the seventh Taiwan Insurance Excellent Performance Awards organized by the Taiwan Insurance Institute, Cathay Life won nine major awards. In the future, with our vision of becoming the leading financial institutions in the Asia-Pacific region, Cathay Life Insurance will continue to work hard to serve as a model for the industry.
Milestones
- 1962 — 1971
- 1972 — 1981
- 1982 — 1991
- 1992 — 2001
- 2002 — 2011
- 2012 — 2018
1962 — 1971
1962
- Company founded
- Developed Cathay Life’s first life insurance policy
1964
- Listed on Taiwan Stock Exchange
1969
- Built Cathay Life Tamsui Campus
- Founded Cathay Women Basketball Team
1970
- Hosted the first Cathay National Children’s Drawing Contest
1972 — 1981
1976
- Signed contractual partnership with Nippon Life Insurance Company on international group insurance
- Established Customer-Children Scholarship
1977
- Inaugurated Cathay Life Headquarters (Xiang-Yang Road)
- Founded Cathay General Hospital
1979
- Mr. Wan-Lin Tsai elected as Chairman
- Total assets exceeded NT$10 billion
1980
- Established the Cathay Charity Foundation
1982 — 1991
1983
- Signed partnership agreement with Travelers Companies
1987
- Inaugurated Cathay Life Headquarters (Ren-Ai Road)
1990
- Mr. Hung-Tu Tsai elected as Chairman
1992 — 2001
1993
- Established Tokyo office
1995
- Total assets exceeded NT$500 billion
1997
- Established Hong Kong Representative Office
- Launched the official website
1998
- Achieved ISO 9002 quality management system certification
- All employees commenced to be covered by Labor Standards Act
- Successively established service centers in Taiwan
1999
- The first life insurance company in Taiwan to pass Y2K audit
- Introduced Student Group Insurance for local students(~2004)
2000
- Convened the first Overseas Summit Meeting
- Total assets exceeded NT$1 trillion
- Established a long-distance satellite educational channel(Cathay Super Net)
2001
- Founded Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd.
2002 — 2011
2002
- Set up service counter in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1
- Founded Cathay Women Table Tennis Team
2004
- Introduced e-policy mechanisms ahead of the industry
2005
- Joint ventured with China Eastern Airlines to establish Cathay Life Insurance (China)
2006
- Total assets exceeded NT$2 trillion
- Introduced Student Group Insurance for local students(~2011)
2007
- The first life insurance company in Taiwan approved by Insurance Bureau to provide online policyholder services
2008
- Launched the first USD-denominated insurance policy ahead of the industry
- First to establish a call out team in the industry
- Set up service counter in Taipei Songshan Airport
- Established Cathay Life Insurance (Vietnam) as 100% subsidiary
2009
- Introduced the micro insurance ahead of the industry
- Launched the first AUD-denominated insurance policy
2010
- Achieved ISO 10002 complaints management system certification
- Total assets exceeded NT$3 trillion
2011
- Opened up Facebook Fan Page
- Launched cooperative education program with education institutions
- Launched the first NZD-denominated insurance policy
2012 — 2018
2012
- 50th Anniversary of the company
- Achieved ISO 14001 certification, demonstrating a commitment in environmental protection
- Launched Mobile Insurance ahead of the industry
- Launched the New Heights Project
- Introduced SGS Qualicert
2013
- Launched first RMB-denominated insurance policy
- Became the first financial institution in Taiwan certified in CFP(certified financial planner) training
- Introduced Cathay Life App
- Achieved ISO 50001 energy management system certification
- Initiated an Agents Upgrade Project, Agency2.0 (AG2.0)
2014
- Launched the first Online Insurance in Taiwan
- Achieved BS10012 personal information management system certification
- Developed policy revitalization service ahead of the industry
- Lujiazui Financial Development Ltd succeeded China Eastern Airlines to partner with Cathay Life in Cathay Life Insurance (China), changing the name to Cathay Lujiazui Life Insurance
2015
- Bade for Global Life Insurance Co. and Singfor Life Insurance Co., and acquired their assets, liabilities, and operations
- Established Offshore Insurance Unit(OIU) business
- Became the first Taiwanese insurance member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index(DJSI)
- Achieved ISO 14001 environmental management system certification and ISO 50001 energy management system certificate
2016
- The first Asian life insurance company to comply with the United Nations’ Principles of Sustainable Insurance (PSI) voluntarily
- Launched the Cathay Box App - a Scientific Customer Engagement Tool
- Won the qualification for Government Employee Long-term Care Project exclusively
- Achieved ISO9001 quality management system certification and ISO/IEC 27001 information security management certification
2017
- Published the first report on Principles of Sustainable Insurance (PSI)
- Opened the first service store in Eastern District of Taipei
- Introduced Student Group Insurance for local students
- Cooperated with multiple hospitals across Taiwan in developing the Direct Medical Benefits Reimbursement service
- Introduced the first whole life micro insurance in the industry
- Mr. Tiao-Kuei Huang elected as chairman
- Total assets exceeded NT$6 trillion
- Achieved EN15838 certification
2018
- Cathay Life introduced Young Golden Plan, insurance agent recruitment program
- Cathay Life launched LINE official account
- Cathay Life established the Treating Clients Fairly Committee
- Cathay Life launched Uber-Style Agent Platform My Insurance Buddy - Find Your Advisor
- Cathay Life implemented the Cathay Walker national health promotion program
- Cathay Life introduced Student Group Insurance for local student once again
- Cathay Life launched Customer Service Chatbot - Alpha
- Cathay Life was recommended by the Financial Supervisory Commission, becoming one of only two Taiwanese life by the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (Ainsurance companies to undergo evaluation PG)