With the company deploying its “made-to-measure” insurance offering to directly address the country’s growing healthcare and protection gap.
According to CashKO, a subsidiary of the Philippine “insurtech” company RuralNet, it now provides coverage to 6.1 million underserved Filipinos across 81 provinces.
It noted that it ables to do this through its affordable microinsurance network, which has been structured to address final medical liabilities and funeral expenses — in contrast to the traditional one-size-fits-all insurance products that remain financially out of reach for low-income families.
It said, “Because terminal illnesses frequently drain a family’s entire life savings before a loss occurs, these tailored life policies act as an immediate financial shock absorber, protecting vulnerable households from falling into deep poverty before other financial support can arrive.
Lolita Lugasan, a market vendor, shared her story, where her family’s savings exhausted by medical care prior to the sudden passing of her partner.
“Makalipas ang ilang araw matapos mamatay ang asawa ko, mabilis kong nakuha ang claim. Ramdam mo na may nag-aalaga sa iyo, may malasakit,” said Lugasan who noted that immediate financial assistance arrived within days that she used cover urgent costs and sustain her small business and protect her family’s livelihood.
“‘Yung nakuha ko sa CashKO, kinabukasan, nataon na birthday niya. Hinati ko ‘yun. Yung kalahati, ipinanghanda ko. Pero yung kalahati, inilagay ko sa negosyo ko para may umiikot akong puhunan,” she continued.
According to the Octa “Tugon ng Masa” survey in March 2026, 67% of adult Filipinos identify staying healthy and avoiding illnesses as their most urgent personal concern — even surpassing immediate economic worries.
However, a protection gap remains, with the latest national insurance penetration remaining low at 2%.
For the informal sector and rural communities, the sudden economic shock of a severe illness frequently forces families into predatory debt cycles that effectively pushes any economic progress down to zero.
Thus, Justin Arcenas, Founder & CEO of RuralNet Inc., shared their belief that “Financial protection should be within everyone’s reach. It should not be a luxury, but a necessity.“
He also noted that by leveraging technology, they are able to help more families to “build genuine financial resilience and long-term peace of mind.”
Through RuralNet’s proprietary digital infrastructure, CashKO has streamlined the end-to-end claims process to maintain a 97% claims approval rate and a turnaround rate for payouts that is 75% faster than the industry average.
Currently, it has expanded its reach through a network of more than 5,000 partner branches across 81 provinces and handles over 6.1 million people.
DISCLAIMER:
This article does not constitute professional, financial, legal, or insurance advice. Every effort is made to present general news and trends in the insurance industry, but this should never act as a substitute for consulting with a licensed insurance agent, financial advisor, or legal professional.
