Cabinet d'avocats
Article 1
The present Regulation has been enacted
for the purpose of satisfying the demand of opening to the outside world
and developing economy, strengthening and improving the supervision and
administration of insurance companies with foreign investment, and promoting
the healthy development of the insurance industry.
Article 2
The term "insurance company with foreign
investment" as mentioned in the present Regulation shall refer to any of
the following insurance companies established upon approva according to
relevant laws and administrative regulations and does business within the
territory of the People's Republic of China;
1. An insurance company established
by foreign insurance companies and Chinese companies or enterprises within
the territory of China for joint business operations (hereinafter referred
to as joint insurance companies);
2. A foreign capital insurance company
invested and established by foreign insurance companies for business operations
within the territory of China (hereinafter referred to as solely-funded
insurance companies);
3. A branch company of a foreign insurance
company established within the territory of China (hereinafter referred
to as branches of foreign insurance companies)
Article 3
Insurance companies with foreign investment
shall abide by the laws and regulations of China and may not infringe upon
the social public interests of China.
The lawful business operations, rights
and interests of the insurance companies with foreign investment shall
be subject to the protection of Chinese law.
Article 4
The China Insurance Regulatory Committee
(hereinafter referred to as CIRC) shall be responsible for the supervision
and regulation of insurance companies with foreign investment. The detached
offices of the CIRC shall, on the basis of the authorization of the CIRC,
be responsible for the routine supervision and regulation of the insurance
companies with foreign investment within their respective jurisdictions.
Chapter II Establishment and Registration
Article 5
The establishment of a insurance company
with foreign investment shall be subject to the approval of the CIRC.
The areas where insurance companies
with foreign investment may be established shall be decided by the CIRC
according to relevant provisions.
Article 6
For the establishment of insurance
companies with foreign investment engaging in personal insurance and property
insurance, the form of establishment and proportion of foreign investment
shall be determined by the CIRC according
to relevant provisions.
Article 7
The minimum limit of registered capital
of a joint insurance company and solely funded insurance company shall
be 200 million yuan or freely exchangeable currencies of identical value;
the minimum limit of the registered capital shall be virtually contributed
capital. The contributions of insurance companies with foreign investment
shall be freely exchangeable currencies.
The head office of a insurance company
with foreign investment shall gratuitously allot to the branch companies
freely exchangeable currencies at an amount of no less than 200 million
yuan in value as operating funds.
The CIRC may, according to the scope
of business and business scale of the insurance company with foreign investment,
raise the level of the minimum limit of registered capital or operating
funds of the insurance company with foreign investment.
Article 8
A foreign insurance company that applies
for establishing a insurance company with foreign investment shall meet
the following conditions:
1. It shall have been engaged in the
insurance business for more than 30 years;
2. It shall be more than two years
since a representative office was established within the territory of China;
3. The total assets at the end of
the year prior to the application for establishment shall be no less than
5 billion US dollars;
4. The country or region where the
foreign insurance company is situated shall have sound systems for the
regulation of insurance and the foreign insurance company shall have already
been under the effective regulation of the relevant authority of the country
or region;
5. It shall satisfy the solvency standard
of the country or region;
6. It shall obtained the approval
of relevant authorities of the country or region for the establishment.
7. It shall satisfy other conditions
discreetness as provided by the CIRC.
Article 9
To establish a insurance company with
foreign investment, the applicant shall file a written application to the
CIRC and submit the following materials:
1. An application signed by the legal
representative of the applicant; if the application is for establishing
a joint insurance company, it shall be signed by the legal representatives
of the parties to the joint insurance company;
2. The business license (duplicate)
issued by the relevant authority of the country or region, a certificate
that proves its meeting the solvency standards and the opinions about the
application;
3. The articles of incorporation of
the foreign applicant and the annual statements the recent 3 years;
4. Relevant materials of the Chinese
applicant if the application is for establishing a joint insurance company;
5. A feasibility study report and
plan of preparatory establishment of the company to be established;
6. The names, resumes of the persons
to be in charge of the company to be established and certificate of appointment;
7. Other materials as provided by
the CIRC.
Article 10
The CIRC shall make preliminary examinations
over the application for establishing an insurance company with foreign
investment and shall decide, within 6 months after receiving the complete
set of application documents, whether to accept the application or not.
If it decides to accept the application, it shall issue a formal application
form to the applicant; if it decides not to accept, it shall inform the
applicant in writing and state the reasons.
Article 11
The applicant shall complete the preparatory
establishment within one year after receiving the formal application form.
If it can justify its failure to complete the preparatory work within the
time limit, the time limit may be extended for three months upon the approval
of the CIRC. If it fails to complete the preparatory work within the extended
period, the acceptance decision made by the CIRC shall be automatically
invalidated. After the completion of the preparatory work, the applicant
shall fill in the application form and submit it together with the following
documents to the CIRC for examination and approval:
1. A report for preparatory establish;
2. The articles of incorporation of
the company to be established;
3. The contributors and amount of
contributions thereof of the company to be established;
4. A certification of verification
of capital issued by a legal appraisal institution;
5. A letter of attorney issued to
the person-in-charge of the company to be established;
6. Names and resumes of the senior
management personnel and certificates of appointment of the company to
be established;
7. Plans of the company to be established
during the future three years and plans of reinsurance;
8. The insurance clauses and premiums
of the types of insurance as well as a specification of the calculation
of liability reserve funds of the company to be established within the
territory of China;
9. Materials of the site of business
and other facilities relating to business operation of the company to be
established;
10. In the case of establishing branch
companies by a foreign insurance company, a letter of guarantee of being
responsible for the taxes and debts of the branch companies issued by the
head office;
11. In the case of establishing a
joint insurance company, the contracts for joint business operation;
12. Other documents as required by
the CIRC.
Article 12
The CIRC shall, within 60 days after
receiving the complete formal application materials for establishing a
insurance company with foreign investment, decide whether to approve or
disapprove. If approval is to be granted, it shall issue a License of Engaging
in the Insurance Business; if disapproval is to be granted, it shall inform
the applicant in written and state the reasons.
If it is approved to establish a insurance
company with foreign investment, the applicant shall, on the basis of the
License of Engaging in the Insurance Business, apply to the administrative
department of industry and commerce for registration and for a business
license.
Article 13
The insurance company with foreign
investment shall, after being established, draw a caution money at the
rate of 20% of the total amount of registered capital or operating funds
and deposit it in a bank designated by the CIRC. The caution money may
not be used for any purpose other than clearing the debts of the company
under liquidation.
Article 14
The establishment of branches within
the territory of China by a enterprise with foreign investment shall be
subject to the examination and approval of the CIRC.
Chapter III Scope of Business
Article 15
A insurance company with foreign investment
may, according to the scope of business as verified by the CIRC, engage
in all or part of the types of insurance business as mentioned below:
1. Property insurance, including indemnity
insurance, liability insurance, credit insurance, etc;
2. Personal insurance, including life
insurance, health insurance, accidental injury insurance, etc.
A insurance company with foreign investment
may, on the basis of verification by the CIRC according to relevant provisions,
engage in large commercial risk insurance, all-inclusive policy insurance,
etc. with the verified scope of business.
Article 16
A same insurance company with foreign
investment may not be engaged in the property insurance and personal insurance
at the same time.
Article 17
A insurance company with foreign investment
may be engaged in the following reinsurance of the insurance businesses
as mentioned in Article 15 of the present Regulation:
1. outward reinsurance;
2. inward reinsurance.
Article 18
The specific scope of business, geographic
area of business and the range of clients shall be subject to the verification
of the CIRC according to relevant provisions. A insurance company with
foreign investment may be engaged in the insurance business within the
verified scope of business only.
Chapter IV Supervision and Regulation
Article 19
The CIRC shall be empowered to inspect
the business operations, financial affairs and expenditure of funds of
the insurance companies with foreign investment, to demand the insurance
companies with foreign investment to provide relevant documents, materials
and written reports within a prescribed period of time, and to punish the
companies according to law for their violation of laws or regulations.
The insurance companies with foreign
investment shall accept the lawful supervision and regulation of the CIRC,
provide relevant documents, materials and written reports in a true-to-thefact
way, and may not refuse or impede its supervision and inspection or conceal
any information.
Article 20
A insurance company with foreign investment
may not have any of the following dealings with its connected enterprises
unless approval of the CIRC is obtained:
1. The outward or inward reinsurance
of reinsurance;
2. The buying or selling of assets
or other dealings.
The term "connected enterprise" as
mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall refer to an enterprise that
has any of the relations with the insurance company with foreign investment
as mentioned below:
1. The controlling of shares or contributions;
2. Being jointly controlled by a third
party in terms of shares of contributions;
3. Other relations that are connected
in interests.
Article 21
The branch companies of a insurance
company with foreign investment shall, within three months after the completion
of each financial year, submit to the CIRC the financial statements thereof
and that of the head office for the previous year; and these financial
statements shall be publicized.
Article 22
If any of the following circumstances
occurs to the head office of the branch company of a insurance company
with foreign investment, the branch company shall, within 10 days after
the occurrence of the circumstance, report to the CIRC in writing about
relevant information:
1. Changing the title of the head
office or the major person-in-charge or the place of registration;
2. Changing the registered capital;
3. Changing shareholders that holds
more than 10% of the total capital or shares;
4. Readjusting the scope of business;
5. Being punished by relevant authority
of the country or region where it is situated;
6. Suffering from heavy losses;
7. Being split, merged, dissolved
or canceled according to law or being declared bankrupt;
8. Other circumstances as provided
by the CIRC.
Article 23
In case the head office of the branch
company of a insurance company with foreign investment is dissolved or
canceled or being declared bankrupt according to law, the CIRC shall stop
the branch office from doing any new business.
Article 24
An insurance company with foreign
investment that is engaged in the insurance of foreign exchange shall abide
by the pertinent provisions concerning foreign exchange.
A insurance company with foreign investment
that does business within the territory of the China shall make their settlements
in Renminbi unless it has obtained the approval of the State administrative
department of foreign exchange.
Article 25
The documents, materials and written
reports to be submitted or reported to the CIRC as provided in the present
Regulation shall be provided in the Chinese language.
Chapter V Termination and Liquidation
Article 26
In case a insurance company with foreign
investment needs to be dissolved as a result of split, merger or other
reasons for dissolution as stipulated in the articles of incorporation,
it may not be dissolved until approval of the CIRC has been obtained. To
dissolve a insurance company with foreign investment, a liquidation team
shall be formed so as to carry out liquidation.
Article 27
Any insurance company with foreign
investment whose License of Engaging in the Business of Insurance is revoked
by the CIRC due to violation of laws or administrative regulations shall
be revoked according to law, and a liquidation team shall be formed in
time so as to carry out liquidation.
Article 28
The liquidation of a insurance company
with foreign investment as a result of being dissolved or revoked shall
be publicized at least three times in newspapers within 60 days after the
formation of the liquidation team. The content to be publicized shall be
subject to the verification of the CIRC.
Article 29
In case a insurance company with foreign
investment cannot pay off its due debts, it may, upon the consent of the
CIRC, be declared bankrupt by the people's court according to law. If a
insurance company with foreign investment is to be declared bankrupt, a
liquidation team shall be formed by relevant departments like the people's
court, the CIRC, etc. and relevant persons to carry out the liquidation.
Article 30
Where a insurance company with foreign
investmenty is dissolved or revoked or declared bankrupt according to law,
it may not transfer any of its assets to beyond the territory of China
before it has paid off its debts.
Chapter VI Legal Liabilities
Article 31
Any one who establishes a insurance
company with foreign investment as against the provisions of the present
Regulation or is engaged illegally in the insurance business shall be clamped
down by the CIRC. In case the violation constitutes the crime of establishing
financial institutions without authorization or the crime of illegal business
operations or any other crime, the offender shall under take criminal liabilities;
if the violation is not serious enough for criminal punishment, the illegal
gains shall be confiscated by the CIRC, and a fine of not less than 1 time
but not more than 5 times the illegal proceeds shall be imposed upon the
offender; if no illegal proceeds have been incurred or the illegal proceeds
are not as much as 200,000 yuan, the offender shall be fined not less than
200,000 yuan but not more than 1 million yuan.
Article 32
In case a insurance company with foreign
investment violates the provisions of the present Regulation by engaging
in the insurance business beyond the verified scope of business or geographic
area or scope of clients and such violation has constituted the crime of
illegal business operations or any other crime, the offender shall be held
to take criminal liabilities; if the violation is not serious enough for
undertaking criminal liabilities, it shall be ordered by the CIRC to make
corrections and to refund the premiums that have been collected, to have
its illegal proceedings be confiscated and be imposed upon a fine of not
less than 1 time but not more than 5 times the illegal proceeds; if no
the illegal proceeds have been incurred or the illegal proceeds are not
as much as 100,000 yuan, it shall be fined not less than 100,000 yuan but
not more than 500,000 yuan. In case the offender fails to make corrections
within the time limit or serious consequences have resulted, it shall be
ordered to suspend business for a certain period of time or its License
of Engaging in the Insurance Business shall be revoked.
Article 33
In case a insurance company with foreign
investment violated the provisions of the Regulation and does any of the
following acts, it shall be ordered by the CIRC to make corrections and
be fined not less than 50,000 yuan but not more than 300,000 yuan; if the
circumstances are serious enough, it may be ordered to stop accepting new
transactions or its License of Engaging in the Insurance Business may be
revoked:
1. Failing to draw and deposit a caution
money or use the caution money in violation to the relevant provisions;
2. Having dealings with connected
enterprise as in violation of relevant provisions;
3. Failing to make up the registered
capital or operating funds as pursuant to relevant provisions.
Article 34
Any insurance company with foreign
investmenty that violates the provisions of the present Regulation by doing
any of the following acts shall be ordered by the CIRC to make corrections;
in case it fails to make corrections within the prescribed time limit,
it shall be fined not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 100,000 yuan:
1. Failing to submit or report relevant
documents, materials or written reports as pursuant to relevant provisions;
2. Failing to make public announcements.
Article 35
Any insurance company with foreign
investment that violates the present Regulation by doing any of the following
acts shall be imposed upon a fine by the CIRC of not less than 100,000
yuan not more than 500,000 yuan:
1. Providing false documents, materials
or written reports;
2. Refusing or impeding lawful supervisions
or inspections.
Article 36
Any insurance company with foreign
investment that violates the provisions of the present Regulation by transferring
its assets to beyond the territory of China shall be ordered by the CIRC
to transfer back the assets that have already been transferred and be imposed
upon a fine of 20% of the value of the transferred assets.
Article 37
In case any insurance company with
foreign investment violates the relevant laws or administrative regulations
of China or the present Regulation, the CIRC may revoke disqualify the
senior management staff of the company from taking posts in China during
a certain period of time or for the whole of his life.
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions
Article 38
In case anything concerning the administration
of insurance companies with foreign investment is not provided in the present
Regulation, the Insurance Law of the People's Republic of China or other
relevant laws or administrative regulations or other relevant provisions
of the State shall be applied.
Article 39
The present Regulation shall be applicable
to the establishment and business operations of insurance companies within
the Mainland of China by insurance companies from the Hong Kong and Macao
Special Administrative Regions and from Taiwan.
Article 40
The present Regulation shall enter
into force as of February 1, 2002.
Cabinet d'avocats