They say money can’t buy love — but one woman in China managed to turn romance into a real payout.
A woman surnamed Wu purchased a discounted “love insurance” policy in 2016 as a gift for her boyfriend, surnamed Wang, paying 199 yuan (about $28), according to the South China Morning Post. The policy, issued by China Life Property and Casualty Insurance Company Limited and originally priced at 299 yuan (about $42), promised a reward if the couple officially married within a specified time period. Depending on the option selected, the payout could come in the form of roses, a ring, or cash.
Ten years later, Wu was ready to collect.
Wang, who met Wu in secondary school and began dating her in university, initially assumed the policy was nothing more than a clever marketing stunt. He said he even worried she’d been scammed.
“She said she bought love insurance; my first reaction was that she had been scammed,” Wang told the South China Morning Post.
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The couple married in October 2025 after a decade together. After the wedding, they submitted their marriage certificate and became eligible for the payout, the outlet reported.
The newlyweds requested 10,000 yuan (about $1,400) — choosing that option instead of 10,000 roses.
“The wedding is already over. I would not know how to preserve 10,000 roses,” Wu told the South China Morning Post. Wang added that they would “decide what to do when the money arrives.”
“Love insurance” products like this were eventually phased out by Chinese regulators, who said the policies lacked a legitimate legal or insurable interest. Traditional insurance is generally meant to protect against clearly defined risks tied to valid interests — such as health, life, or property — rather than romantic relationships.
Still, Wu and Wang were able to redeem their policy because they purchased it before the product was discontinued in 2017.
