Dividend insurance guaranteed interest rate "breaks the ice" to 1.25% Life insurance industry accelerates switching to the new track of "low guarantee + high floating"

Source: Economic Information Daily Author: Xiang Jiaying

The guaranteed interest rate for personal insurance products has once again experienced a change. Recently, joint venture insurer China-UK Life launched the “Fumanjia C (Enjoyment Version) Whole Life Insurance (Dividend Type),” setting the guaranteed interest rate cap at 1.25%, a 50 basis point decrease from the industry-standard 1.75%. At the same time, the product demonstration rate was adjusted from 4.25% to 3.9%.

In the context where regulatory authorities have not yet mandated a reduction in the guaranteed interest rate cap, this proactive move has quickly attracted market attention. This not only signifies that the guaranteed returns for dividend insurance have entered the “1% era,” but also signals a clear industry shift towards a deep restructuring of the yield model: the long-standing “high guarantee, low fluctuation” approach is accelerating towards “low guarantee, high fluctuation.” An industry transformation driven by liabilities and asset-side adjustments has begun.

Joint Venture Insurers “Breaking the Deadlock”: Proactively Positioning in a Low-Interest Environment

The core change in China-UK Life’s new product is a significant tilt in the profit balance. The guaranteed return of 1.25% accounts for only 32% of the total demonstration rate (3.9%), meaning that over two-thirds of future customer returns will depend on the insurer’s actual investment performance. In contrast, the currently mainstream products with a 1.75% guaranteed return still have a guarantee portion close to 45%.

Why proactively lower yields during the sales window? Wang Xiao, Assistant General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer of China-UK Life, explained that this is an exploration of a “growth-oriented” dividend strategy. “In mature insurance markets, dividend insurance typically accounts for over 50%, with the core logic of ceding part of the product benefits in exchange for long-term value growth.” He revealed that the company is building a multi-layered dividend system covering different risk preferences, using gradient guaranteed interest rates to precisely match customers’ needs for guaranteed protection, moderate appreciation, or high growth potential.

It is noteworthy that this is not the first attempt by joint venture insurers. Previously, companies like Tongfang Global Life and Sino-Italian Life launched dividend insurance products with a 1.5% guaranteed rate. Industry insiders believe that the reason these joint ventures dare to be “pioneers” is that their foreign shareholders have experienced multiple complete interest rate cycles and are more sensitive to spread risk. “They prefer to reduce guaranteed returns to ease the pressure of rigid payouts and share risks with customers, which aligns with the long-term logic of ‘profit sharing’ in mature markets.”

From a policy perspective, this rate reduction is purely an insurer-initiated action. According to the dynamic adjustment mechanism for guaranteed interest rates established by the Financial Regulatory Administration, the current maximum guaranteed rate for ordinary products (2.0%) and the research value published in January 2026 (1.89%) differ by only 11 basis points, which has not triggered a mandatory adjustment threshold. This “non-triggered” window has become a strategic opportunity for some insurers to proactively position and plan for the future.

Autonomous Rate Reductions Become the Trend: From “Price Wars” to “Capability Battles”

China-UK Life’s “breaking the ice” is not an isolated case. Industry insiders reveal that among leading personal insurers, four have already completed the filing and reserve setup for dividend products with a 1.25% guaranteed rate. Although they have not yet launched these products to the market due to acceptance and timing considerations, the layout is complete. Meanwhile, several medium-sized insurers with a proactive stance plan to introduce similar products by 2026 to complete a gradient product matrix.

Looking back, this kind of insurer-led “interest rate reduction” has precedents. In June 2024, when the industry widely adopted a 2.5% guaranteed rate, Fosun Prudential Life was the first to file a 1.75% dividend product, after which the industry entered a downward adjustment cycle. It seems history is repeating itself, but the background for this round of adjustments is more complex—long-term interest rates continue to decline, with the 10-year government bond yield remaining around 1.8%, putting significant pressure on insurance fund investments.

“If the guaranteed rate remains at 1.75%, the spread risk exposure will continue to grow,” said Zhang Siyuan, a researcher at Shanghai Commercial Bank. Lowering the guaranteed rate can directly reduce the rigid liability expenses, which is a rational choice for insurers in a low-interest-rate environment. Huachuang Securities’ research report also suggests that the likelihood of triggering a sector-wide guaranteed rate cut in 2026 is small; this year, most adjustments are proactive strategies by insurance companies, with leading firms likely to follow suit at appropriate times.

For consumers, does the rate cut mean reduced returns? A senior insurance broker stated that although the guaranteed return is lowered, the overall expected total return is not significantly different from products currently on sale. “In the past, dividend insurance was more like a ‘fixed income substitute,’ with customers accustomed to rigid payout expectations. Now, the guaranteed portion is reduced, but the floating space is opened up, so long-term total returns may not necessarily decrease.”

Deeper industry changes involve a reshaping of competitive logic. Industry experts believe that insurers’ proactive rate reductions send a clear signal: future product returns will increasingly depend on dividend realization rates, with floating returns becoming a core component. This shift means insurers will move from simply competing on “rigid guarantees” to competing on long-term investment and operational capabilities, with dividend realization rates potentially becoming a key indicator of product competitiveness.

The investment logic is also clear. “Lower guaranteed rates mean more room for equity holdings,” said Xu Yishan’s team at Founder Securities. When guaranteed returns are lower, insurers can cover the guaranteed portion with fixed-income assets and moderately increase long-term assets like stocks and equities, sharing excess returns when the environment is favorable, and buffering by lowering dividend rates when under pressure.