HONG KONG - FWD Group Holdings Limited today unveiled findings from its consumer outlook survey, showing that the majority of Asia’s middle class feel financially anxious and underprepared for retirement, as rising living costs and growing family responsibilities reshape financial priorities across generations.
Nearly three quarters (71 percent) of middle-class consumers feel anxiety about their overall financial wellbeing, with top three concerns being the rising cost of everyday living (71 percent); high cost of healthcare (43 percent); and unexpected job loss or a reduction in their income (37 percent). As a result, their primary financial goals are focused on a two-to-three-year time frame. Almost half (44 percent) of the respondents aim to build a basic safety net for their families, while one-third (37 percent) hope to achieve financial independence.
Lee Yen Ho, Group Chief Distribution and Proposition Officer, FWD Group, said, “It’s clear that there is a shared sense of financial vulnerability across generations of middle classes in Asia. As people live longer and family structures evolve, building the financial resilience to protect loved ones and turn savings into sustainable lifetime income will become increasingly essential. Changing the way people feel about insurance has an important role to play. Insurance provides protection in difficult times, but it can also help to build resilience, secure income for retirement, and give people the confidence they need to celebrate living.”
The findings also reveal clear generational pressures. Generation X (born 1965-1980) face the toughest balancing act - funding education, paying mortgages and preparing for retirement. Among this segment, 62 percent worry that their savings won’t keep pace with inflation, and 52 percent rank guaranteed lifelong income as their top retirement need. Generation Y (born 1981-1995) juggle multiple financial responsibilities, with 49 percent worrying about saving for their own retirement. The vast majority (85 percent) are supporting their parents, in addition to caring for their children. Although almost half (47 percent) are looking for a single, efficient solution to cover multiple family members, most (61 percent) have never heard of family insurance plans. Generation Z (born 1996-2010) face growing financial pressure, with 53 percent expecting difficulties in the next five to 10 years due to rising daily expenses, and 46 percent saying that insurance products feel too expensive.
The pan-Asian survey, conducted with Ipsos, surveyed over 9,000 middle-class consumers aged 21-65 years old across the 10 markets where FWD operates – Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Macau SAR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
FWD already offers various products across its markets which aim to strengthen protection, resilience and long-term financial security. For example, in Hong Kong, the One&All medical insurance plan provides flexible family-focused coverage with optional add-on benefits that require no underwriting. In Japan, a single yen premium annuity product was introduced to meet the growing demand for savings and retirement planning, helping individuals and families build a steady stream of retirement income. In Thailand and Singapore, the FWD Sure pension plan and FWD Invest Flexi Elite plan help customers prepare for retirement through structured income and sustainable wealth-building options. In Indonesia, the FWD Critical First protection plan delivers affordable, inflation-conscious coverage to help families safeguard their financial wellbeing amid rising costs.
For more information, please visit www.fwd.com.
