年内裁撤2153家， 释放什么信号？

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights a significant reduction in the number of insurance branches and service departments in China, with a net decrease of 1,899 institutions in 2023 alone, following a trend of over 10,000 branches being closed since 2020 [1] - The trend of downsizing in the insurance sector has been ongoing for more than five years, with the number of closed insurance companies and branches recorded at 980, 2,196, 3,020, 2,065, and 2,012 from 2020 to 2024 respectively [1] - The closures are primarily concentrated in personal insurance companies, particularly in branch offices and marketing service departments, with a notable focus on county-level and third- to fourth-tier cities [1] Group 2 - The increasing penetration of digital services such as video claims and AI underwriting has improved efficiency and shifted consumer preferences towards online insurance purchases, reducing reliance on physical branches [2] - High operational costs of traditional offline outlets, averaging over one million yuan annually, have made it difficult for smaller branches to sustain themselves, prompting a push from regulatory bodies to eliminate inefficient institutions [2] - The optimization and reduction of offline institutions align with the long-term trend of digital transformation in the insurance industry, aimed at cost reduction and enhanced service quality, thus improving the sustainable competitiveness of companies [2]