When a Robot Worth Tens of Thousands of Yuan "Causes Trouble," Who Pays the Bill?

Robots costing tens of thousands of dollars are accelerating from labs to diverse application scenarios—dancing, boxing, running, fashion shows—the boundaries of commercialization are constantly expanding.

This spring, on the CCTV New Year’s Gala stage, robotics companies such as Yushu Technology, Magic Atom, Galaxy General, and Songyan Power showcased their products, further igniting industry enthusiasm, with multiple brands experiencing stockouts.

According to IDC forecasts, by 2026, the global smart robot hardware market will approach $30 billion, with China leading the growth of embodied intelligent robots worldwide, becoming the core driving force behind market expansion. By then, China’s embodied intelligent robot market size will surpass $11 billion.

Whether it’s the accelerated adoption in consumer applications or the high growth expectations in industry, a more practical issue has emerged amid the excitement: Who should bear the losses when these expensive robots fall, get damaged, or encounter other issues during use?

Magic Atom robots dancing. Photo by Li Danhong

According to financial news sources, major property insurance companies such as PICC Property & Casualty, Ping An Property & Casualty, and Taibao Property & Casualty have launched dedicated insurance products for robots, covering risks like physical damage and third-party liability.

Specifically, PICC Property & Casualty’s “Embodied Intelligent Robot Comprehensive Insurance” creates a protection system combining “robot body damage insurance” and “third-party liability insurance.” For robot body protection, coverage includes natural disasters like typhoons and heavy rain, as well as collisions and falls, along with cyber security incidents and system crashes caused by operational anomalies. For third-party rights, it provides legal compensation and dispute resolution services for scenarios such as delivery robots injuring pedestrians, surgical robots causing medical accidents, and industrial robots damaging equipment. These insurance products are already available in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other regions.

Additionally, Ping An Property & Casualty has introduced a comprehensive financial solution for embodied intelligence, offering tailored solutions for R&D, operation, thermal runaway, electrical, mechanical, network, and related risks, integrating coverage for R&D expenses, product liability, AI system liability, and electrochemical performance degradation across all scenarios.

Taibao Property & Casualty has also launched relevant products for humanoid robots. It is reported that Taibao’s Ningbo branch has introduced the nation’s first insurance product specifically designed for commercial applications of humanoid robots, called “Jizhi Bao.” This product features three major innovations: first, full scenario coverage, pioneering risk protection across the entire “production, sales, leasing, and use” chain; second, integrated coverage for body damage, third-party liability, and property loss; third, flexible terms supporting daily, weekly, or monthly insurance to suit various commercial scenarios.

Yushu Technology robots practicing boxing. Photo by Li Danhong

So, who should pay for robot insurance?

A representative from Qingtian Leasing, a robot leasing platform, told financial news that in leasing scenarios, insurance is usually purchased collectively by the platform, so lessees do not need to buy it separately.

A related person from Ping An Property & Casualty also stated that currently, robot insurance is mainly borne by leasing companies, while robot manufacturers generally do not purchase insurance. This model is similar to the automotive industry’s “car manufacturers do not insure, owners buy car insurance,” and future robot insurance may develop along similar lines as auto insurance.

(Edited by: Guo Jiandong)

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