CSS

The Swiss insurance group CSS has over 1.6 million customers in Switzerland and had over 6.5 billion USD in sales volume in 2020. 

Since September, customers with a CSS supplementary insurance policy, have been able to buy CSS coins that are worth 20, 50, or 100 Swiss Francs. (1 CHF Fr. is about 1.01 USD)

The coins cost only half of their redeemable value, which means that CSS policyholders can buy them with a 50% discount. (100 CHF Fr. coins can be bought for 50 CHF Fr.)

The coins can be redeemed at companies that are part of the CSS partner network. 

In the current phase, the partner network includes 23 organizations in the Lucerne area, such as the Lucerne City Gymnastics Club, Friedli’s Markthalle, the Allmend indoor swimming pool and the be in balance practice.

Other interested partners in Lucerne can apply via the CSS Coin website.  

If the current phase proves successful, a nationwide program will be launched which is unique in Switzerland.  

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to encourage people to move towards a healthier lifestyle. As we all know, an insurance company pays hospital bills, revalidation programs, and health-related expenses.

If people live healthier lives, they will have a lower risk of illnesses, ailments, and injuries. Which in turn will mean that statistically, the insurance company won’t need as many health-related bills. 

Offering their clients a 50% discount on health-related products and activities is an investment in people’s health and lowers the health-related risks of the CSS clientele. This results in a win-win for both CSS and its clients. 

Ecoo

The Ecoo application allows organizations to create conditional tokens on the Tezos blockchain that can be tailored to specific user needs.

This means that the tokens can be made available to a limited group of people (for example only people with a certain health care policy), and subsequently, be made redeemable at a specific group of companies. 

A wide variety of use cases can be catered this way:

– Tourism: guests can pay with «Tourism Coins» at selected shops, railways, and businesses.

– Events or festivals, where visitors pay with coins, while the partners, e.g. a catering stand, collect the event currency via the app.

– Companies that want to give their employees meal vouchers not only for the canteen, but also for the nearby bakery or the pop-up restaurant on the corner.

– Health insurances that credit the insured with “Health Points” that can be redeemed at selected partners. This simplifies the organization of partnerships in the health sector, for example in the area of ​​health promotion.

The Ecoo App has already been used by two Swiss cities to distribute Covid relief funds.

Last week, XTZ News published a story about the ClimaCoin program that intends to increase awareness in Switzerland about climate-related issues through a mobile game by Climapower that allows players to earn ClimaCoins which can be redeemed at specific stores in Switzerland.

Ecoo also won 3 awards in the “Best of Swiss Apps Awards”.