(Yicai) Nov. 24 -- Chinese insurers have released new products related to androids due to increasing concerns that they may cause accidents or even harm humans amid their rapid introduction to households and public service sectors, with some users worried about using them due to fear of breaking or being unable to afford to pay compensation.

Ping An Property & Casualty Insurance offers risk protection tailored to specific humanoid robot scenarios, production and operation guarantees, and support for research and development innovation. PICC Property and Casualty launched a comprehensive insurance for embodied intelligence on Sept. 28, consisting of "robot body loss insurance + third-party liability insurance," that covers natural disasters, accidental damage, and cybersecurity incidents, while also providing services for pedestrian injuries caused by delivery robots and medical accidents involving robotic surgeries.

Embodied intelligence lacks unified international or industry standards, leading to compatibility and security risks with products, according to industry insiders. Companies may face legal challenges regarding data compliance and cross-border data flows, while if some robots do not have underlying safety logic set up, they may cause harm to humans due to programming faults or maloperation, they noted.

"One of our robots broke its leg while dancing, and another bumped into a person while walking," a person in charge of a robotics company pointed out.

The risks associated with humanoid robots are mainly causing damage to themselves, injuring people, or damaging property in the surrounding environment, 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 industry develops, related financial products should be incorporated into the top-level design, the industry experts said, adding that insurers should be encouraged to create related products, while the integration of industrial and financial capital should be promoted to enhance innovation risk management capabilities.

Editor: Martin Kadiev