CIRC says some rules to be relaxed for insurers

The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) will ease limits on limits on insurers’ investment in stocks and bonds but caution remains on property investments, state media reported, citing an official from the regulator. Sun Jianyong, head of the CIRC’s capital management department, said: "We are in discussions to allow major insurers to invest 20% of their assets into stocks and equity funds, and increase their investments in unsecured bonds to 20% from 15%." Industry insiders said the new rules could bring about US$1.5 billion of capital into China’s stock market. However, CIRC’s Sun said the release of detailed rules, particularly those governing insurers’ investment in property, may take some time to be finalized. CIRC chairman Wu Dingfu said earlier this year that insurers would not be allowed to invest in residential buildings or be involved during a project’s development stage.