Lindsay Hanson, CMO & Global Head of Behavioral Insurance Strategy and Delivery, John Hancock

In an interview with Invest:, Lindsay Hanson, CMO & Global Head of Behavioral Insurance Strategy and Delivery at John Hancock, discussed the evolution of the company and highlighted the success of the John Hancock Vitality program, which gamifies customer engagement. She outlines the strategic partnership with GRAIL, introducing the Galleri test for early cancer detection. Hanson is optimistic about further innovations in personalized health strategies and partnerships aimed at improving longevity and well-being.

What have been the key achievements for John Hancock this past year?

It’s been an exciting time for us. We just celebrated the ninth anniversary of the John Hancock Vitality program, which has been a significant game changer for the life insurance industry. Traditionally, life insurance has been seen as a static product, but we’ve transformed it into something dynamic. We believe life insurers can and should help drive improved health outcomes for our customers. That means transitioning from acting as a passive claims payer – as most life insurers do – to a dynamic and engaged active risk manager.  

Since we launched John Hancock Vitality, the program has evolved significantly – initially focusing on physical activity, then nutrition, and in the last few years, we have increased our focus on preventative health with industry-first collaborations. This is another step in our commitment to providing John Hancock customers with access to innovative screening tools that enable them to better understand and make more informed choices about their health so they can live longer, healthier, and better lives.  

Can you tell us more about some of John Hancock’s industry-first preventative health collaborations?

In September of 2022, John Hancock became the first life insurer to offer our customers access to GRAIL’s Galleri test, an early detection tool for over 50 types of cancer through a simple blood test. It’s not a genetic test but can detect a cancer signal if a patient might have cancer currently. This initiative underlines our commitment not just to insure life but to extend and improve it. The test empowers our customers with critical health information, helping them and their doctors devise care plans if needed.

More recently, we became the first life insurer to offer customers discounted access to Prenuvo’s state-of-the-art MRI that can detect over 500+ different types of health conditions, including cancer. This initiative will allow our customers to detect health issues like various cancers and brain aneurysms early, without affecting their insurance policies or premiums. This is another step in our commitment to providing our customers with access to innovative screening tools that enable them to better understand and make more informed choices about their health so they can live longer, healthier, and better lives.  

How is this gamification approach in your vitality programs evolving and its outcomes?

Traditionally, life insurance customers might interact with their carrier maybe once or twice a year — often just receiving a privacy notice or a bill, hardly true interactions. Now, we’re engaging with our customers 20 to 30 times a month. We’ve shifted from a passive relationship to actively providing valuable opportunities. For example, customers can earn an Apple Watch by focusing on physical activity or receive discounts on products that can help improve their sleep. We also offer webinars on nutrition and provide personalized content like recipes tailored to specific dietary needs through partners like the Tufts Food is Medicine Institute.

John Hancock engagement levels have soared. Our customers now visit the John Hancock Vitality mobile app an average of four times a day. They check the latest articles or share updates with friends, which is a significant increase from the sporadic interactions of the past. We also introduced ‘Your Year in Wellness’ — a personalized summary of their annual activities, similar to digital services like Spotify or Snapchat, which highlights their accomplishments and what’s still available to them. This initiative has been very well received.

One key change was adjusting our rewards system. Originally, for every 10 workouts, a customer would get a “wheel spin” which could earn them points or gift cards. We saw an opportunity to encourage more frequent activity by making it a weekly goal instead. Now, customers start each week with a new point target to earn their wheel spin, gradually increasing the challenge. This small adjustment has led to a 45% increase in physical activity among our participants. It’s about creating consistent habits that ultimately benefit both their health and our relationship with them as their insurance provider.

Where do you see the most promising opportunities for growth within the insurance sector in this region?

John Hancock’s most significant opportunity for growth I see, particularly in this region, is to continue personalizing our approaches. Each of us has different needs for improving our well-being — be it better managing sleep, physical activity, or chronic conditions like diabetes. John Hancock recognizes that each individual has a unique and personal pathway to living a longer, healthier and better life. So, John Hancock makes insurance more personalized, moving away from broad, organization-centric solutions to insurance that focuses on our individual policyholders and their extended family. I see great potential for the industry through deeper personalization.

What is your outlook for John Hancock in the next few years and what are your top priorities?

I’m very optimistic about John Hancock’s future, particularly as we forge more exciting partnerships. For example, we recently announced a five-year commitment with the MIT AgeLab to develop a longevity preparedness index, helping us understand and address the implications of living a longer life and all that comes with it, from health and housing needs to financial planning.Our collaborations with GRAIL, Prenuvo, and the MIT AgeLab are just a few examples of John Hancock’s proactive approach to health and overall investment in providing our customers access to cutting-edge technology to help empower them to take control of their health and make informed decisions to help them lead longer, healthier, and better lives. At John Hancock – and our parent company, Manulife, globally – we believe life insurers can and should help drive improved health outcomes for our customers.