"Data is King" in an era where data forms the core of business sectors. However, in insurance, despite having various databases, they are not yet fully interconnected. This led the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) to launch Open Insurance, an ecosystem designed to link insurance data across all dimensions.
Chuchat Pramoolpol, Secretary-General of the OIC. He stated that although Open Insurance ecosystems have been discussed for years, some countries face legal challenges to implementation. In Thailand, while data remain fragmented, there are approaches to start immediately. The OIC, as the registrar, can issue orders or announcements to enforce the system, provided it respects data owners' rights in compliance with the PDPA law.
Open Insurance is a key part of the 5th Insurance Development Plan. Its highlight is enabling the insurance sector to better adapt to challenges such as rapidly changing customer behavior and increasingly complex risks. Having accurate, timely, and quality data helps improve understanding, decision-making, and service quality, expected to yield benefits in three areas:
For the public: reducing duplicate paperwork and information submission, allowing faster, fairer access to services and benefits.
For the insurance industry: enabling more accurate risk assessment, lowering operational costs, and using data to develop products better suited to insureds' risks and needs.
At the national level: building trust in the insurance system, promoting risk management, and strengthening economic stability. The OIC also emphasizes strict AI auditing, cybersecurity, and personal data protection under PDPA standards to ensure user safety.
Initially, in 2026, six companies will pilot Open Insurance: Thai Smur Life Assurance, Muang Thai Life Assurance, Chubb Samaggi Insurance, Dhipaya Insurance, Bangkok Insurance, and Kumphai Tokio Marine Insurance. By 2027, the goal is to fully integrate the insurance data system.
, Nusara (Assakul) Banyatpiyapoj, President of the Thai Life Assurance Association. She said that Open Insurance will help develop the insurance business overall by enabling more efficient use of data. Currently, businesses already submit data to the OIC, but collaboration is underway to determine if additional data should be included.
However, linking data requires the insured's consent for use. Registration will initially be through the NDID system, with plans being prepared for obtaining consent from customers less comfortable with digital channels.
The benefits of Open Insurance are seen mainly in two areas: 1) Faster claims payments and potentially reduced insurance fraud through industry data linkage.
2) Statistical data helping businesses better understand risks and assess underwriting conditions to cope with rising medical inflation. Diverse, in-depth data may allow companies to price premiums more accurately, potentially lowering costs for low-risk insured groups.
Additionally, the association recently proposed establishing a “National Health Bureau” to link health data from the National Health Security Office, government welfare, social security, and insurance sectors to enhance Thailand’s healthcare system.
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