Allianz Insurance offers cash payouts for gloomy weather

German insurance company Allianz has launched a new series of travel insurance products that include payouts for those who do not get enough sun during the Spring Festival holiday.

The two new packages are being sold solely on Taobao.com, China's largest e-commerce marketplace, priced at 88 yuan each. The company will compensate policyholders spending the Spring Festival holiday in Sanya in Hainan province and Harbin in Heilongjiang province.

Each package includes travel accident insurance worth 230,000 yuan ($38,000) to cover the seven-day holiday, as well as a 688-yuan bonus if the policyholder encounters three consecutive days of rain or snow while traveling in the two cities.

Policyholders applying for the bonus need to provide a certificate showing they will be traveling in one of the cities for three consecutive days during the holiday period.

Results will be determined by weather reports from the China Meteorological Administration.

The insurance packages will be available on Taobao until Jan 15.

It is the second time that Allianz has come out with weather-related insurance products. The first compensated some 400 policyholders who missed the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2013.

shijing@chinadaily.com.cn