Nan Fang Du Shi Bao·2025-10-30 10:30Core Viewpoint - Catastrophe insurance is becoming increasingly important as extreme weather and natural disasters rise globally, with China facing significant challenges in its catastrophe insurance system despite recent policy advancements [2][4]. Group 1: Catastrophe Insurance Landscape in China - Over 70% of cities and more than 50% of the population in China are located in areas severely affected by natural disasters, highlighting the complex and concentrated nature of catastrophe risks [5]. - The catastrophe insurance system in China has been gradually improving, with significant developments such as the establishment of the earthquake catastrophe insurance community in 2016 and ongoing pilot programs in over 20 provinces [6]. - Despite a premium scale of 1.232 billion yuan and a compound annual growth rate exceeding 39% from 2014 to 2024, the insurance payout for natural disasters in China is only about 10% of the economic losses, compared to a global average of 50% [6]. Group 2: Regulatory Developments and Innovations - The Financial Regulatory Bureau has issued a notification allowing domestic insurance companies to issue "sidecar" insurance-linked securities in the Hong Kong market, which helps transfer risks to the capital market [3][4]. - "Sidecar" insurance-linked securities can provide additional protection for insurance companies, enhancing their financial stability and allowing them to share catastrophe risks with the capital market [4]. - The issuance of catastrophe bonds has been supported by recent regulatory changes, with the first catastrophe bond issued in Hong Kong in 2015 and subsequent issuances in 2021 and 2022 [9][10]. Group 3: Industry Trends and Future Outlook - The catastrophe bond market is expected to grow significantly, with predictions indicating a 20% increase in market size to approximately $60 billion by 2025 [10]. - The introduction of "sidecar" insurance-linked securities is anticipated to diversify capital markets and may lead to structural impacts on domestic stock markets, potentially attracting international capital back to mainland markets [11][12]. - The insurance industry is encouraged to adopt technology for risk management, shifting focus from post-disaster compensation to pre-disaster prevention, with companies like China Life and PICC developing advanced risk management platforms [7].