Waterdrop Inc. Releases 2025 ESG Report: Empowering Full-Chain Business with AI and Building an Inclusive, Diverse Healthcare Ecosystem

Research and development investment totaled RMB 233 million in 2025, alongside expanded use of AI in insurance services.

Rhea-AI Summary

Waterdrop (WDH) released its 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance report, covering AI development and its insurance and healthcare operations.

The company invested RMB 233 million in research and development in 2025 and had cumulatively filed more than 100 AI-related patent applications by year-end. E-Find Patient Recruitment had enrolled 14,555 patients across 1,611 clinical trial projects as of the end of 2025. Claims paid for pre-existing medical condition insurance through Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace totaled RMB 55.9852 million, up 46.83% year over year. The report also covered medical crowdfunding and charitable healthcare programs; Waterdrop's ESG rating was upgraded to A+.

Positive

• Minor pointE-Find Patient Recruitment enrolled 14,555 patients across 1,611 clinical trial projects by the end of 2025.
• Minor pointAI-related patent applications cumulatively exceeded 100 by the end of 2025.

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

ESG rating: A+ Underwriting processing time reduction: 80% Underwriting accuracy: 99.8% +5 more

ESG rating

A+

Rating upgrade reported in the 2025 ESG report

Underwriting processing time reduction

80%

Average processing time for complex health insurance underwriting

Underwriting accuracy

99.8%

KEYI.AI underwriting accuracy rate

Underwriting response speed

260 times the previous speed

KEYI.AI underwriting response speed

Insurance product matching rate

six times the previous rate

Customers matched with suitable insurance products

R&D investment

RMB 233 million

2025

Claims paid

RMB 55.9852 million

Pre-existing medical condition insurance through Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace

Claims paid growth

46.83%

Year-on-year increase for pre-existing medical condition insurance claims

Key Terms

esg, llm, underwriting, generative artificial intelligence

4 terms

esg financial

"Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report"

ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, which are key factors investors consider when evaluating how sustainable and responsible a company is. It involves assessing how a company manages its impact on the environment, treats its employees and communities, and operates transparently and ethically. Investors use ESG criteria to identify businesses that align with their values and have the potential for long-term success.

llm technical

"proprietary Waterdrop Guardian LLM"

A large language model (LLM) is an advanced computer system trained on vast amounts of written text to understand and generate human-like language, similar to a very fast, well-read assistant that can summarize documents, draft messages, or answer questions. Investors care because LLMs can speed up research, automate customer support, and reduce costs, while also creating new product opportunities and risks around accuracy, bias, and regulatory oversight that can affect a company’s performance.

underwriting financial

"launched KEYI.AI, an AI underwriting expert"

Underwriting is the process where a financial institution agrees to buy and then resell new stocks or bonds to investors. It matters because it helps companies raise money quickly and smoothly, while the bank takes on the risk of selling those securities at the agreed price. Think of it like a booker guaranteeing to sell all tickets for a concert before opening the doors.

View in glossary

generative artificial intelligence technical

"Guidelines for Intellectual Property in Generative Artificial Intelligence"

Generative artificial intelligence is a type of computer system that learns patterns from large datasets and produces new content—text, images, audio, designs, or code—rather than just sorting or summarizing existing information, like a virtual apprentice that invents drafts based on what it has seen. Investors pay attention because it can lower costs, speed product development, create new revenue streams and competitive advantages, while also introducing risks around accuracy, intellectual property and regulation that can affect valuation.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

BEIJING, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 15, Waterdrop Inc. released its 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report (hereinafter the "Report"), outlining the Company's practices and achievements over the past year in AI-driven technological innovation, product and service optimization, talent development, and corporate social responsibility. Waterdrop Inc.'s ESG rating has been upgraded to A+, consolidating the Company's position at the forefront of the industry.

According to the Report, in 2025, Waterdrop Inc. firmly advanced its "All in AI" strategy and accelerated its evolution from a technology company that uses AI to an AI-native technology company, significantly improving the efficiency and user experience of its insurance and healthcare services. Meanwhile, leveraging the strengths of its internet platform and digital technologies, the Company focused on medical crowdfunding, rural healthcare, educational assistance, and emergency disaster relief, proactively bridging gaps to address critical pain points.

Shen Peng, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Waterdrop Inc., said: "Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world at an unprecedented speed. We will continue to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, adapting Waterdrop's technology and services to the insurance and healthcare needs of families around the world. At the same time, we will remain steadfast in our corporate social responsibility, harnessing technology to strengthen social protection and fulfill our era's mission of making protection more inclusive."

AI Empowers End-to-End Business Operations, Technological Innovation and Collaborative Development of Industry Standards

As an insurance technology and healthcare platform, Waterdrop Inc. has remained committed to driving integrated innovation across "AI + insurance protection + healthcare." In 2025, the Company firmly advanced its "All in AI" strategy and, building on its proprietary Waterdrop Guardian LLM and Waterdrop Guardian AI Capability Suite, continued to build a product portfolio spanning intelligent underwriting, AI-powered customer service, voice interaction, and AI agent collaboration.

To address pain points in health insurance underwriting, including non-standardized medical records, complex policy terms, and lengthy manual review cycles, Waterdrop Inc. launched KEYI.AI, an AI underwriting expert. KEYI.AI responds within seconds to specialized insurance inquiries concerning underwriting risk assessments, underwriting recommendations, interpretations of policy terms, and claims procedures. According to the Report, KEYI.AI reduced the average processing time for complex health insurance underwriting by 80%, achieved an underwriting accuracy rate of 99.8%, and increased underwriting response speed by 260 times the previous speed. The rate at which customers were matched with suitable insurance products increased to six times the previous rate.

In 2025, Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding also introduced AI into its risk-control processes, building an intelligent identification matrix for multiple high-risk scenarios. The platform can accurately identify risk indicators, including sensitive identity information of fundraisers and abnormal assets, significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of risk identification and helping ensure the authenticity and reliability of crowdfunding cases. In 2025, Waterdrop Inc. invested RMB 233 million in R&D. As of the end of 2025, the Company had cumulatively filed more than 100 AI-related patent applications.

In addition, Waterdrop Inc., as an invited drafting organization, participated in developing the association standard Guidelines for Intellectual Property in Generative Artificial Intelligence. The Company shared its practical experience regarding the development and deployment of generative AI, intellectual property protection in compliance management, risk identification, and the clarification of responsibilities, supporting responsible innovation and effective risk governance across the generative AI industry.

Building a Diversified Healthcare Assistance System, Tailoring Insurance, Medical Assistance, and Pharmaceutical Services to Differentiated Protection Needs

Waterdrop Inc. continues to focus on the differentiated protection needs of older adults, individuals with pre-existing conditions, and women. The Company has launched a range of inclusive products, including the "Jiehaoyun" (a maternity protection plan) and disability insurance, to drive product innovation and enhance the accessibility and inclusiveness of insurance products. In 2025, under its "Three Good Services" system centered on "quality service, tailored products and responsive claims," Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace launched 242 customized insurance products. According to the Report, claims paid for pre-existing medical condition insurance through Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace totaled RMB 55.9852 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 46.83%.

Meanwhile, as an Online Personal Help-seeking Service Platform designated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China, Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding continues to leverage mobile internet technology to provide assistance to people facing urgent difficulties. Through social networks, the platform connects help-seekers with caring individuals, enabling patients with critical illnesses and their families to raise funds for medical treatment. According to the Report, as of the end of 2025, 490 million users had donated RMB 72.3 billion to 3.68 million patients with critical illnesses through Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding.

In healthcare services, E-Find Patient Recruitment provides professional subject recruitment and management services for pharmaceutical R&D. It also integrates health consultations, medical check-ups and screenings, and medical assistance to strengthen its comprehensive health and wellness service capabilities. As of the end of 2025, E-Find Patient Recruitment had enrolled 14,555 patients across 1,611 clinical trial projects, bringing patients more treatment options and renewed hope.

Deepening Government-Enterprise Collaboration and Public Welfare Practices, Improving the Multi-level Social Assistance and Support Network

Waterdrop Inc. has also actively participated in building a multi-level medical protection system, working with local government departments to develop critical illness assistance service platforms such as "Jin Qing Bang" and "Hai Hui Bang." These platforms provide a valuable complement to existing social assistance and medical protection systems. As of December 2025, Jin Qing Bang had provided assistance to 724 patients in financial hardship in Jinyun County, with total assistance amounting to RMB 16.2428 million. Hai Hui Bang had assisted a cumulative total of 2,915 patients in financial hardship, and the total amount of multi-level medical assistance reached RMB 58.5686 million. Together, the two platforms mobilized nearly RMB 75 million in social assistance funding.

To address gaps in primary healthcare resources in rural areas, Waterdrop Inc. has continued to implement the charitable Waterdrop Rural Clinics program, helping improve local medical infrastructure, enabling rural residents to access basic medical services close to home, and strengthening the health foundation for rural revitalization. As of the end of 2025, the program had covered 20 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across China, cumulatively established 191 Waterdrop Rural Clinics, and benefited more than 500,000 people. The program has tangibly improved local healthcare conditions and increased access to medical services in rural communities.

In addition, Waterdrop Inc. has continued to expand the scope of its assistance, supporting both regular social assistance and emergency disaster response. Through these efforts, Waterdrop Inc. has served as a stable and reliable connector for aid capacity within the broader social assistance system. In responding to sudden disasters and the needs of vulnerable groups, the Company has acted proactively and responded swiftly. This is demonstrated by its ability to rapidly mobilize public compassion to support front-line efforts during rescue and reconstruction operations, such as after the Xizang earthquake, heavy rainstorms in North China, and the Hong Kong fire. According to the Report, as of the end of 2025, Waterdrop Charity had raised a cumulative total of RMB 1.389 billion, partnered with 119 public fundraising charitable organizations, and launched more than 15,500 public welfare projects.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/waterdrop-inc-releases-2025-esg-report-empowering-full-chain-business-with-ai-and-building-an-inclusive-diverse-healthcare-ecosystem-302910125.html

SOURCE Waterdrop Inc.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How much did Waterdrop invest in research and development in 2025?

Waterdrop invested RMB 233 million in research and development in 2025. By the end of that year, the company had cumulatively filed more than 100 AI-related patent applications.