A Korean Insurer Just Launched Burnout Insurance

Iman Aminuddin

31st July 2026 - 2 min read

Here’s something we didn’t expect to come across this week: burnout insurance.

South Korean digital insurer Kyobo Lifeplanet sells a mini insurance policy that pays a small lump-sum benefit if you’re diagnosed with panic disorder or depression.

And for a man in his late 30s, premiums reportedly start from 479 Korean Won a month, about RM1.30. That’s less than what most people spend on coffee in a day, and it’s for an entire month of cover.

Why Insurers Are Pricing Burnout As A Risk

South Korea placed fifth-most overworked among OECD countries in 2022, and by 2024 was still logging 1,859 working hours per employee against the bloc’s average of 1,708.

Also, a 2025 peer-reviewed study of Korean SME workers found that burnout was closely linked to high job demands and poor workplace culture, highlighting how much workplace conditions can shape mental health.

What About Malaysia?

Long commutes, side hustles, hybrid work, WhatsApp messages that arrive after office hours with a cheerful “Sorry to disturb,” and meetings that somehow generate even more meetings are familiar here too.

41% of Malaysian employees reported feeling burnt out or exhausted by their job, even though 70% still described themselves as happy at work overall, according to Jobstreet by SEEK’s 2026 Workplace Happiness Index of around 1,000 employees.

That’s why mental health coverage has slowly become part of the conversation among Malaysian insurers and takaful operators, although it’s usually bundled into larger medical plans instead of being sold on its own. The Health Ministry is separately working on Malaysia’s first national workplace mental health policy, a sign that burnout is increasingly being treated as a workplace issue even without an insurance product to match it yet.

Insurance companies build products around risks that enough people already recognise. The fact that one now exists for burnout says something about how ordinary that risk has become. So If work has been wearing you down, support is available. Befrienders KL offers a free, confidential 24-hour helpline at 03-7627 2929.

Iman Aminuddin

Iman writes about personal finance with curiosity. She is interested in the stories behind money, the hesitation around big decisions, and the small habits that shape financial futures. Off the clock, she is either dissecting a film or climbing her way up the leaderboard in her favourite games.

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