Ge Long Hui·2026-01-19 08:55Core Viewpoint - Citigroup forecasts a historic opportunity for life insurance stocks driven by wealth reallocation as retail investors seek higher reinvestment yields due to a large amount of bank deposits maturing [1] Life Insurance Sector - Profit margins for life insurance companies are expected to remain stable, as the reduction in pricing interest rates in September last year offsets the margin erosion caused by a shift towards participating products [1] - The firm favors industry leaders such as China Life and Ping An, anticipating a significant K-shaped growth differentiation between leading insurers and smaller firms amid ongoing regulatory tightening [1] Property and Casualty Insurance Sector - The firm projects a 4% growth in industry premiums, with further improvement potential in the combined cost ratio under favorable regulatory conditions [1] - Key drivers for this growth include the rationalization of expenses towards non-auto insurance businesses, ongoing regulatory reinforcement in auto insurance cost management, and gradual liberalization of pricing for new energy vehicle policies [1] - Leading property and casualty insurers are expected to benefit the most, likely delivering industry-leading performance [1]