As life expectancy rises across Asia, Manulife’s research reveals a growing focus on independence and personalised health solutions, with insurers adapting their messaging to reflect a new self-reliant attitude towards legacy and care.
As people across Asia live longer, Manulife says the idea of leaving a legacy is being reshaped. The insurer’s Asia Care Survey 2026 found that 80% of more than 9,000 adults across nine markets now value independence and financial freedom more than simply passing on wealth, while nearly 9 in 10 say their main aim in a longer life is to stay self-sufficient for as long as possible. Manulife’s Longevity Institute says the research is designed to track how rising life expectancy is changing attitudes to health and money.
Harshal Shah, Manulife Asia’s chief marketing and experience design officer, said the findings point to a gap between knowing what is important and actually taking action. Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Shah said marketing has to do more than raise awareness and should make the next step feel simple, timely and relevant. The survey suggests that while two-thirds of respondents put health first, fewer than half keep to regular exercise or a balanced diet, and although more than 80% agree preventive care and early screenings protect independence, only about half go for regular check-ups.
That disconnect is central to Manulife’s pitch. Shah said the company wants to use behavioural nudges that reduce friction rather than just repeat health messages, and cited ManulifeMOVE, its health and lifestyle programme, as a way of turning healthy choices into habits through challenges, rewards and partnerships. The insurer is also trying to make preventive care feel less daunting by offering follow-up support and by connecting health decisions to personal motivations such as staying independent, avoiding future care dependency and easing worry for family members.
The shift is also changing how insurers talk about legacy. Manulife says older campaigns in Asia often leaned on filial piety and wealth transfer, but the new survey suggests a more individual view is taking hold, with self-reliance treated as a form of care rather than selfishness. In Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, the company is offering eligible customers access to Guardant Health’s shield multi-cancer detection test, which uses a single blood draw to screen for 10 common cancers. Shah said that kind of product backing gives Manulife’s longevity message more credibility.
On the financial side, the survey found that 89% of respondents prioritise financial independence, but only 51% are using investments to fund retirement and care needs. Manulife says that gap has prompted a simplification of its wealth messaging, including tools such as the MPF Robo-advisor pilot in Hong Kong and the iFUNDS platform in Singapore. Another telling result is that 40% of people across Asia avoid talking to their families about ageing, retirement and care because they do not know how to begin. Shah argued that marketing can help by opening the conversation with practical, less intimidating prompts about what independence means and where care should happen.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
