(Yicai) Nov. 24 -- As humanoid and embodied intelligence robots enter service in public and private spaces, Chinese insurers are responding with new products to the potential accident and liability risks that hinder the large-scale use of androids.

Since September, leading property insurers such as Ping An Property & Casualty, CPIC Property & Casualty, and PICC Property & Casualty have brought out specialized robot-related coverage.

Ping An P&C now offers scenario-based protection covering operations, production, as well as research and development activities, while PICC provides a comprehensive package combining robot body damage and third-party liability insurance for natural disasters, accidental damage, and cybersecurity incidents, as well as coverage for injuries caused by delivery robots and medical accidents involving surgical robots.

The embodied intelligence fields lacks unified international or industry standards, raising compatibility and safety issues, according to industry insiders. Developers may also face legal challenges around data compliance and cross-border flows, and robots without robust safety protocols may injure people as a result of software errors or improper operation, they added. 

“One of our robots broke its leg while dancing, and another bumped into a person while walking," a robotics company manager said.

The risks associated with humanoid robots are mainly causing damage to themselves, injuring people, or damaging property around them, said Wu Wei, general manager of Digit Shenzhen Technology's public relations and government affairs department. 

"Our robots are exported to Europe, Australia, and other places, and customers insist on buying related insurance before they can be used in the market," noted Zhang Chunguang, founder of Deyi Robotics.

As the embodied intelligence sector grows, these financial products should be incorporated into top-level planning, according to the experts, encouraging insurers to develop new offerings as well as combine industrial and financial approaches to improve risk management capabilities in innovative fields.

Editor: Martin Kadiev