Flu insurance claims for school-age children surge 5.9-fold in a month

An earlier-than-usual influenza season is driving a sharp rise in child insurance payouts. The number of flu treatment claims filed under Kakao Pay Insurance's elementary and middle school student policy surged 5.9-fold in a single month, with flu-related costs accounting for nearly half of all payouts under the policy last month.

Kakao Pay Insurance released an analysis Wednesday of antiviral flu treatment payout data, showing that claims under its elementary and middle school student policy during week 40 (Sept. 27–Oct. 3) were about 5.9 times higher than during week 35 (Aug. 23–29). Claims under its infant and toddler policy rose about 4.2-fold over the same period.

The share of flu treatment costs within total insurance payouts also jumped sharply. For the elementary and middle school student policy, flu treatment claims rose from 8.3 percent of all payouts in September last year to 44.6 percent this September — an increase of 36.3 percentage points. The infant and toddler policy saw a similar shift, climbing from 6.5 percent to 45.2 percent, up 38.7 percentage points.

The surge in claims tracks with a faster-than-usual spread of influenza this year. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of suspected flu cases per 1,000 outpatients at primary care clinics rose from 13.3 during week 35 to 33.0 during week 39 (Sept. 20–26) — about 3.7 times the 9.0 cases recorded during the same week last year.

The outbreak has been particularly pronounced among young children. During week 39, children aged 7 to 12 recorded 61.0 suspected flu cases per 1,000 outpatients, the highest of any age group. Those aged 1 to 6 also posted a high rate of 49.6. With influenza spreading earlier than in previous years, the KDCA issued an influenza epidemic alert for the 2026–2027 season on Sept. 11.

Kakao Pay Insurance's elementary and middle school student policy covers children aged 6 to 15 for illnesses including influenza, pneumonia and food poisoning, as well as injuries such as fractures, burns and traffic accidents. Its infant and toddler policy covers children aged 0 to 7 for antiviral flu treatment costs and diagnostic fees for conditions including otitis media, pneumonia and hand, foot and mouth disease.

"The elementary and middle school student and infant and toddler policies are products designed to prepare families for the coverage children need most — centered on the illnesses and accidents they commonly face, including seasonal conditions like the flu," a company official said. "We will continue to enhance our coverage and services in line with children's stages of growth and their changing environments."

Kakao Pay Insurance has been steadily expanding its lineup of child insurance products and related services tailored to children's ages and lifestyle environments. In March last year, it launched a "gift child insurance" policy allowing a third party to pay premiums on a child's behalf, and last month it introduced a "My Child Health Alert" service that notifies parents of changes in their child's health risks via KakaoTalk.