Group 1: Life Insurance - The new business value (NBV) of life insurance companies showed a positive growth trend in H1 2025, with significant year-on-year increases for various companies: PICC Life (+71.7%), New China Life (+58.4%), Ping An Life (+39.8%), Taiping Life (+22.9%), China Life (+20.3%) [5][16] - The NBV margin for most listed life insurance companies improved in H1 2025, with notable increases for Ping An Life (26.1%, +8.8 percentage points) and Taiping Life (21.6%, +3.1 percentage points) [8][10] - The growth rate of new single premium insurance varied significantly among companies, with New China Life achieving a remarkable increase of 113.1% in H1 2025, while Ping An Life experienced a decline of 7.2% [16][21] Group 2: Property and Casualty Insurance - The premium growth rate for property and casualty (P&C) insurance was uneven, with Ping An P&C leading the sector with a growth of 7.1%, while other companies lagged behind [34] - The combined operating ratio (COR) for P&C insurance improved across the board, indicating enhanced underwriting profitability, with China P&C achieving a COR of 94.8% (down 1.4 percentage points) [38] - The premium income from non-auto insurance segments showed strong growth, particularly for Ping An P&C (+13.8%) and Sunshine P&C (+12.5%) [34] Group 3: Investment Performance - The annualized net investment return varied among companies, with Sunshine Insurance at 3.8% and China Life at 2.8%, reflecting the impact of differing investment strategies [44][52] - The net profit growth rates for insurance companies were diverse, with New China Life leading at +33.5%, while China Ping An saw a decline of 8.8% [48] - The proportion of FVOCI (Fair Value Through Other Comprehensive Income) assets increased for most companies, indicating a shift in investment strategy [59][66] Group 4: Investment Recommendations - The report maintains a "stronger than market" rating for the insurance industry, anticipating improvements in new business value and investment returns due to regulatory support and market conditions [76] - Specific stock recommendations include China P&C and China Life, which are expected to benefit from their unique business models and market positions [76]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Accumulate" rating for the insurance industry [1] Core Views - The insurance industry is expected to experience significant profit growth driven by improved investment returns, with a projected increase in net profit exceeding 80% for listed insurance companies in 2024 [6][12] - The report highlights a shift in product structure towards traditional insurance, with a notable increase in the proportion of traditional insurance products [39] - The overall investment environment is improving, with a focus on increasing bond investments and enhancing total investment returns [4][6] Summary by Sections 1. Net Profit Growth and Dividend Returns - Listed insurance companies' net profit is projected to grow by over 80% in 2024, with major players like Xinhua and China Life showing increases of 201.1% and 131.6% respectively [12][14] - The average dividend payout ratio for listed insurance companies is expected to be 25.7%, reflecting a slight decrease from the previous year [22][23] - Xinhua Insurance's dividend growth significantly outperformed expectations, with a 198% increase [22][24] 2. Life Insurance: Value Rate Improvement Driving NBV Growth - New business value (NBV) is expected to see high growth driven by improved value rates, despite a slowdown in new policy growth due to high base effects and regulatory changes [30][31] - The proportion of traditional insurance products continues to rise, reaching 59.2% of total premiums in 2024, indicating a shift towards dividend insurance products [39][42] 3. Property Insurance: Steady Premium Growth and Cost Performance - Property insurance premiums are expected to grow steadily, with non-auto insurance segments gaining market share [3][4] - The average combined cost ratio for listed property insurers is projected to be 98.4%, indicating overall profitability despite challenges from natural disasters [4][6] 4. Investment: Increased Bond Allocation and Improved Returns - The investment asset scale for listed insurers is expected to grow by 21% year-on-year, with a focus on increasing bond investments [4][6] - Total and comprehensive investment returns are anticipated to improve significantly, driven by a rebound in the stock market and favorable bond market conditions [4][6] 5. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on investment opportunities in insurance stocks amid rising interest rates, as the market's demand for savings remains strong [6][4]