Well-being store: A new channel in U-commerce for insurance industry

Abstract

With new channels and devices based on ubiquitous computing, U-Commerce provides an environment where buyers and sellers are literally able to commerce anytime, anywhere, and anyway they like. In U-Commerce, a lot of opportunities are expectable in various industrial areas, and especially in insurance industry. In this paper, we propose new types of insurance services in U-Commerce. And as a new channel to practice it, we propose Well-Bing Store with three concepts: 'Corporeal Insurance Product', 'U-Cart', and 'Health Examination'. And supportive processes in Well-Being Store are depicted in detail as well. By introducing Well-Being Store, we transform a physical place into an intelligent space which cares insured customers previously before they get sick. This is actualized by managing a list of foodstuffs in a U-Cart accordingly, and by keeping a health examination regularly with help of an insurance company and a hospital. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.