Universal Life Insurance Regulatory Changes China February 2015

Starting from 16 February 2015, China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) has announced the new regulatory changes on universal life insurance products. The new scheme allow China-based insurers to determine their own guaranteed return (only for universal life products). 

This is in line with government's aim to curb irrational competitions between life insurers, specially from smaller insurance companies with online sales. 

Deregulation will encourage insurers to raise profit margin of universal life products, as well as enable companies with better risk management capabilities and financial strength to offer higher coverage and improve policy's quality. Total premiums for universal life insurance in 2014 was CNY400 billion (increased by 21.9% from 2013).

The key regulatory changes for univeral life insurance products in China are:

• Guaranteed minimum interest rate is fully market-oriented;
• Guaranteed rate cap increase, from 2.5% to 3.5%. Products priced at a guaranteed rate higher than 3.5% will require CIRC approval;
• Increase in both protection coverage and regular premiums with sum insured for death to be at least 20% of account value (previously was 5%) and the cap on regular premiums is increased to CNY10,000 (previously CNY6,000)
• Compulsory reserves for universal life liabilities to strengthen insurer's risk management. Companies are required to set up separate reserves to cover the guaranteed returns and variable returns.
• Lower cap on expense loading

Source: http://www.asiainsurancereview.com/News/View-NewsLetter-Article/id/32164/Type/eDaily/China-Universal-life-rate-deregulation-to-test-insurers

China Insurance Regulatory Commission Announced Adoption of C-ROSS, New Solvency System 2015

China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) has recently announced the full adoption of China Risk Oriented Solvency System (C-ROSS). It is officially the second generation of solvency regulatory mechanism in China. Transition period has started last 13 February 2015, and insurance companies with operational activities in China has been duly notified by the regulators. 

In this transitional period, insurance companies are required to submit solvency reports in both the existing solvency and the new C-ROSS regulations. 

"C-ROSS aims to ensure the solvency of insurance industry in China while improving its overall competitiveness, and promote risk management across the industry."

"C-ROSS adopts a qualitative supervisory approach complementing the quantitative assessment of an insurance company's solvency position. The new solvency system also promotes capital efficiency by linking capital requirements more closely to risks, with the valuation of assets and liabilities reflecting actual risk profiles."

To ensure smooth implementation of the new system, CIRC encourages each insurance company to set up a task force composed of people from the finance, actuarial, risk management, investment, business and information technology and other relevant departments.

In January 2015, Mr Chen Wenhui, CIRC Vice Chairman, said that C-ROSS implementation would allow insurers to release redundant capital totalling CNY550 billion (US$87.9 billion). The life insurance industry would be able to release CNY500 billion in excess funds while the non-life insurance sector would find that CNY50 billion is redundant capital.