For millions of Filipinos, a serious illness or the death of a family breadwinner can erase years of hard-earned savings in a matter of weeks. Addressing this growing financial vulnerability, CashKO, the microinsurance subsidiary of Philippine InsurTech company RuralNet, has expanded its tailored insurance network to protect more than 6.1 million underserved Filipinos across 81 provinces.
The milestone reflects CashKO’s commitment to narrowing the country’s protection gap through affordable, community-driven microinsurance designed specifically for low-income households. Rather than offering conventional insurance products that are often financially inaccessible, the company works with local institutions to develop “made-to-measure” coverage that helps families manage final medical expenses and funeral costs.
For many Filipino households, the financial burden begins long before a loved one passes away. Medical treatment for terminal illnesses frequently consumes an entire family’s savings, forcing them into debt and leaving little financial security behind. CashKO’s customized life insurance plans aim to ease that burden by providing immediate financial assistance when families need it most, helping them avoid deeper financial hardship while other forms of support are still being arranged.
The growing need for accessible financial protection comes as health concerns increasingly dominate public priorities. Around 67% of adult Filipinos now consider staying healthy and avoiding illness as their most urgent personal concern, surpassing immediate economic worries. Despite this, insurance penetration in the Philippines remains at just 2%, leaving many families—particularly those in rural communities and the informal sector—without adequate protection against unexpected medical emergencies.
Among those who experienced the value of timely financial assistance is market vendor Lolita Lugasan, who accessed CashKO through one of its local lending partners following the sudden passing of her husband. After exhausting the family’s savings on medical treatment, she received her insurance claim within days, allowing her to cover immediate expenses while preserving part of the benefit to sustain her livelihood.
“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. (“Just a few days after my husband passed away, I received the insurance claim quickly. It makes you feel like someone is truly looking after you and genuinely cares.”)
“‘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. (“The payout I received from CashKO arrived just in time for his birthday the next day. I split the money—half went toward preparing a meal for his birthday, and the other half I invested back into my business so I would have capital to keep it running.”)
CashKO develops its insurance offerings together with rural banks, cooperatives, and microfinance institutions, ensuring that each plan reflects the income patterns, financial realities, and risk exposure of the communities they serve.
“Financial protection should be within everyone’s reach. It should not be a luxury, but a necessity. Our microinsurance service is tailored to the unique needs of Filipino households, moving away from rigid, traditional insurance and instead co-designing ‘made-to-measure’ plans with local institutions. By leveraging technology, we are helping more Filipino families build genuine financial resilience and long-term peace of mind, so that losing a breadwinner doesn’t mean starting back at zero,” said Justin Arcenas, Founder & CEO of RuralNet Inc.
Supporting the company’s rapid expansion is RuralNet’s proprietary digital infrastructure, which has transformed the claims experience for policyholders. The platform maintains a 97% claims approval rate while processing payouts 75% faster than the industry average—an important advantage for families who often need immediate access to funds to avoid relying on high-interest emergency loans.
CashKO has also significantly expanded its nationwide footprint by enabling rural banks, cooperatives, and microfinance institutions to seamlessly integrate insurance into their existing services. Through more than 5,000 partner branches operating across 81 provinces, the company continues to make financial protection more accessible to underserved communities throughout the country.
Today, CashKO serves as the financial and operational backbone of RuralNet’s technology-enabled insurance ecosystem, reducing operational costs while overcoming longstanding barriers to insurance distribution and trust in rural markets.
With more than 6.1 million covered lives, CashKO continues to strengthen its role as a critical provider of tailored life microinsurance, helping vulnerable Filipino families build resilience against life’s most difficult financial challenges.
For more information, visit ruralnet.ph or micro.cashko-insurance.com.