Swiss Re invests USD493 million in New China Life

Swiss Re announced the entry into a transaction with Zurich Insurance Company Ltd to acquire a 4.9 percent stake in New China Life Insurance Company Ltd, reaffirming Swiss Re’s commitment to high growth markets.

New China Life is a Chinese company that provides life and health insurance products. Headquartered in Beijing, New China Life is the third largest life insurer in China based on gross premium.

Swiss Re is acquiring directly from Zurich Insurance Company 152.9 million New China Life H shares (which are listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong), representing 4.9 percent of the total issued share capital of New China Life (which includes both H shares listed in Hong Kong and A shares listed in Shanghai). The total consideration of the transaction is HKD3821 million (USD 493 million).

John R. Dacey, Swiss Re’s Group Chief Strategy Officer, says: “China is the fifth largest life insurance market in the world, but its penetration is still relatively low. Investing in New China Life enables us to tap into this growth potential. It also reaffirms Swiss Re’s commitment to the high growth markets and its strategy of making investments in leading insurance franchises.”