Dividend Philosophy and Investment Strategy
Dividend Philosophy
Policyholders of Participating Insurance Plans can enjoy the potential surplus arising from the long term operation of the participating fund via a form of non-guaranteed dividend in addition to the guaranteed benefits. Your premiums will usually be allocated into a relevant participating fund and will be invested in a variety of asset classes according to our investment strategy. We will manage the relevant participating fund in a prudent manner and aim to ensure a fair distribution of surplus and risks between policyholders and shareholders, and among different groups of policyholders.
As dividends are mainly affected by the overall performance of the participating business, in order to alleviate the volatility of achieved gains and losses and the future uncertainties, in particular, future investment returns, we may take moderate smoothing measures to achieve relatively more stable dividends and strive to meet policyholders’ reasonable expectation. We will maintain a fair distribution method or sharing ratio, and appropriate grouping to ensure policyholders are treated fairly, and to ensure policyholders’ benefit expectation and rights are protected.
The current dividend projection is not guaranteed. We will review and declare the dividend at least once a year. When determining the dividend, we will consider the overall performance of all relevant policies on factors including but not limited to past experience as well as future prospect of investment returns, claims and surrenders:
- Investment return – including the interest income, dividend income, investment outlook and changes to asset values.
- Claims – including the costs of providing death benefit as well as other benefits under the product(s).
- Surrenders – including policy termination, partial surrenders and the corresponding experience and impact.
If there are any changes in the actual dividends against the illustration or to the projected future dividends, such changes will be reflected in the policy anniversary statement.
The declaration of actual dividends is recommended by the Appointed Actuary and is subject to the approval of the Board (including one or more Independent Non-Executive Director(s)).
For products that are associated with an element of non-guaranteed accumulation interest rate, the company will consider past investment experience as well as future expected return and other related factors when determining this non-guaranteed interest rate. If there are changes from market, expectation or policyholder behavior, the company may apply reasonable adjustments to the non-guaranteed interest rate.
Investment Strategy
Our investment philosophy aims at containing volatility and providing long term stable return. Meanwhile, in order to control and diversify risks, maintain adequate liquidity, and achieve higher potential returns for policyholders under an acceptable level of risk, we will invest in a wide range of asset classes with consideration of the status of assets and liabilities. The target asset mix may also differ between different participating products. We will actively manage the investment portfolio and adjust the asset mix in response to the external market conditions.
Currently, our investments include bonds and other fixed income assets, such as government and corporate bonds and other fixed income instruments, to support the guaranteed liability payment of the policy. To enhance the long-term return potential of the investment portfolio, the Company will invest in equity-type assets and other investment instruments such as private funds, mutual funds and direct/indirect investment in real assets like properties and infrastructure. Subject to our investment policy, we may also utilize derivatives or other financial instruments to manage risks or enhance returns after risk adjustment, or use securities-lending to improve returns. The investment portfolio is diversified across different regions and/or industries.
Fulfillment Ratios for Dividends and Interests
Reporting year: 2023
The following table shows the fulfillment ratio for each of the product series which have new policies issued in the previous 5 calendar years prior to the reporting year 2023. As an overview of the past performance of non-guaranteed benefits declared by the Company, we provide fulfilment ratio on product series issued since 2010 with non-guaranteed annual dividends, terminal dividends and accumulation interests. The information only reflect the Company’s non-guaranteed benefits up to the respective policy anniversary of policies issued and should not be taken as an indicator of future dividends and interests declaration of the products.
Fulfillment ratio calculation for annual dividends
The fulfillment ratio for annual dividends is calculated as the weighted average of aggregate actual accumulated non-guaranteed annual dividends, including actual accumulation interests on dividends and/or cash coupons, against the illustrated amounts at the point of sale for all relevant in force policies in the reporting year.
Fulfillment ratio calculation for terminal dividends
The fulfillment ratio for terminal dividends is calculated as the weighted average of aggregate payout of terminal dividends against the illustrated amounts at the point of sale for all relevant terminated policies in the reporting year. Cash value of terminal bonuses is factored in the calculation.
1) Participating Plans - with Annual Dividend
Please select the product series:
2) Participating Plans - with Terminal Dividend
Please select the product series:
Note for fulfillment ratios:
- The fulfillment ratio is the weighted average ratio calculated for all relevant policies under the respective product series, which may not reflect the circumstances of any individual policy.
- Please note that the Fulfillment Ratio only reflects the actual dividends and/or other non-guaranteed benefits of the policies that have been issued during the specified past period, and should not be regarded as the product's future dividends and/or other non-guaranteed benefits. Fulfillment ratios are for reference only and are not intended to be an indicator of future performance.
- If one product has both annual dividend and cash coupon, the fulfillment ratio of annual dividend reflects the annual dividend and accumulation interest on both annual dividend and cash coupon.
- If one product has both annual dividend and terminal dividend, the fulfilment ratio is calculated and illustrated separately for annual dividend and terminal dividend.
- If one product has both cash coupon and terminal dividend, the fulfilment ratio is calculated and illustrated for terminal dividend only.
- If one product has annual dividend, cash coupon and terminal dividend, the fulfillment ratio of annual dividend reflects the annual dividend and accumulation interest on both annual dividend and cash coupon, and the fulfillment ratio of terminal dividend is calculated and illustrated separately.
- Fulfillment ratios may not be applicable due to one or more of the following reason(s):
i. There is no relevant policy with the respective policy year as of current reporting year.
ii.The amount of accumulated non-guaranteed annual dividends, terminal dividends and accumulation interests at the point of sale up to the respective policy year as of current reporting year is zero for the relevant policies.
iii.For terminal dividend, there are relevant inforce policies but no relevant policies has been terminated in the reporting year. - Please kindly note policies issued in 2023 will first have annual dividend, terminal dividend and/or accumulation interest credited in 2024 (if any). The fulfillment ratio for these policies therefore will be included in the 2023 disclosure.
Notes:
1) Some of the above results are shown as "NA" because in the respective year the products were not yet launched or no relevant policy of current reporting year.
2) The historical crediting interest rates are based on weighted average crediting interest rate of these policies in each calendar year.