China's insurance watchdog has come out against the "love insurance" products sold online in the country, labelling them as "fake" policies.

 

中国保险监管机构出面提醒大家不要购买网络销售的“恋爱险”产品，称其为“虚假的”保险产品。

 

Chinese mainland's many such quirky online insurance policy peddlers do not have the authorisation to sell these products.

 

Customers who buy such policies might make a certain amount, usually several times their initial payment, if they successfully predict how long a couple will date.

 

In a post on its website on Monday, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission named one such policy concerning popular Chinese teen idol¹ Lu Han, whose announcement about a relationship led to a rare breakdown² of the servers at social media platform Weibo.

 

Tens of thousands of his heartbroken fans left messages expressing their disappointment over him not being available any more.

 

When Lu Han announced his relationship in a Weibo post last year, some Taobao shops rolled out a "Lu Han love insurance" priced at 11.11 yuan per policy.

 

Purchasers could get double their money if he was still dating his girlfriend a year later.

 

People's Daily said in a commentary last month that "love insurance" and similar products were something akin³ to gambling⁴, rather than insurance policies.

 

"These 'love insurances' involving celebrities⁵ are not insurance products as they do not meet the requirements listed in China's Insurance Law," said the commission.

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