To get away from the busy city life last December, my family decided to head to Ipoh, Malaysia to usher in the new year.We were looking forward to quiet mornings, good food and visiting 400-million-year-old limestone hills. But before we could make it out of Singapore, we stumbled on something far less ancient — a digital-age trap that ensnared my husband.In the blur of getting our toddler ready for bed, packing and wrapping up some work before our break, we remembered at the last minute that we needed to buy travel insurance.As we were doing that, a well-meaning relative sent us a link to submit a Malaysian digital arrival card, but it turned out to be a phishing link and we lost S$200 instantly.After the holiday, we wondered if a personal cyber insurance plan should become an essential add-on to our family's insurance portfolio, since there is a growing menu of niche options available in Singapore.As I did some research into personal cyber insurance coverage, I discovered a number of relatively new products in the market, including policies to protect against common childhood infections such as hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), flat battery situations for electric vehicle (EV) users, and extra medical coverage for babies born out of assisted reproductive procedures. WHAT'S FUELLING THE GROWTH OF SPECIALISED INSURANCE PRODUCTS?Evolving consumer needs, a competitive industry and technological innovation have driven this growth in specialised policies in Singapore, industry experts said. These niche policies cater to specific demographic groups, seasons and "pain points" in a person's life, they added.Mr Dhiren Amin, chief customer officer for Income Insurance, said that as consumers seek tailored coverage that meets their lifestyle needs, insurers are presented with an opportunity to “think out of the box and uncover unmet needs that niche insurance can address meaningfully”.He highlighted the company's eDrivo policy for EVs as one such policy.In the last few years, there has been a growth in EV ownership – the number of electric cars in Singapore has increased from just under 3,000 in 2021 to more than 46,000 as of November 2025. The eDrivo policy, which was launched two years ago, addresses a common worry among owners: having their EVs run out of battery mid-journey.Policyholders may tap a 24/7 emergency mobile rescue service to charge their vehicle in Singapore and parts of Malaysia.