One of the advantages of not having an insurance industry with hundreds of years of continuous history is that you get to make things up as you go along. So for last Thursday’s “Qixi”, or Chinese Valentine’s day, mainland insurance companies offered “love insurance” – for the spouse who has everything. The policies bear different names and different terms – they may be life policies, accident policies, medical or endowment insurance – but all are marketed as the perfect alternative to chocolates and flowers. Some offer returns linked to length of matrimony. And many stipulate that only the woman can collect on them.

Of course “insurance” is largely in the eye of the beholder, in any society: in the west, diamonds are not just a girl’s best friend, they are also a girl’s best insurance policy.

In these days of upside-down mortgages, at least the ring has a surrender value higher than zero.