2025 Fourth of July Celebration @ American Club Taipei (ACC)
2025 Fourth of July Celebration @ American Club Taipei (ACC)
Fourth of July Celebration
The Committee welcomes the continued liberalization and innovation of Taiwan’s insurance industry, which has played a significant role in improving public access to insurance protection and enhancing the convenience of insurance services, all while upholding sound risk management practices.
In this year’s White Paper, we express support for further easing regulatory restrictions on e-commerce to promote digital development in insurance distribution. At the same time, the procedural complexities associated with trial business applications require attention. To better support inclusive finance, we recommend that the authorities consider simplifying the approval process for trial operations to enhance efficiency and innovation in product development.
Furthermore, we recommend that the review and approval mechanism for cash dividend distributions of life insurers return to the framework stipulated under the Company Act and Insurance Act. This adjustment would reflect the industry’s improved capital position and align administrative practices with the current regulatory and financial landscape.
The Committee sincerely appreciates the government’s sustained efforts to promote a healthy and forward-looking insurance sector. We look forward to continued collaboration between industry and regulators to cultivate a stable, transparent, and innovative environment for the long-term development of Taiwan’s insurance market.
Suggestion 1: Continuously deepen the application of fintech to accelerate innovation and digital development.
Suggestion 2: Adjust the cash dividend return mechanism for life insurance companies.
Under the Company Act and Insurance Act, life insurance companies may distribute surplus in the form of cash dividends only after offsetting accumulated losses, paying all applicable taxes, and setting aside the required statutory and special surplus reserves. This process must be based on financial statements audited by a certified accountant and reviewed and approved by the board of directors, with final distribution subject to the resolution of the shareholders’ meeting.
However, under administrative order 10202501992 issued by the FSC in 2013, life insurance companies must also obtain prior approval from the Commission before distributing cash dividends. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the Company Act and Insurance Act, insurers are subject to case-by-case review by the FSC, which evaluates each proposal based on the company’s financial structure, business performance, and the implementation status of new accounting standards. Only after receiving formal approval may the insurer proceed with the distribution.
With the scheduled adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 17 and the new generation solvency system TW-ICS on January 1, 2026, most life insurers have already completed necessary capital strengthening and are actively managing their financial and business performance.
Considering these developments, the Committee recommends that the FSC revise the dividend approval process. Specifically, we urge the abolition of the 2013 administrative order in favor of a framework grounded in the Company Act and Insurance Act, emphasizing internal governance and board oversight in determining dividend distributions. This shift would modernize regulatory oversight in line with international standards and enhance predictability for insurers and investors.
Specifically, we suggest that the FSC:
This approach will bring the regulatory framework in line with the principles of the Company Act and Insurance Act while maintaining necessary safeguards through strengthened internal governance and transparency.
The Committee anticipates that specific, clear, and objective administrative guidance will encourage life insurance companies to further strengthen internal controls, corporate governance practices, and financial stability. Such an approach will in turn enhance the overall effectiveness of regulatory oversight while fostering a more predictable and transparent operating environment.
We believe that this improved framework will help build greater confidence among foreign investors and domestic financial holding companies, encouraging continued capital support for life insurance firms. In turn, this will contribute to a more stable and resilient life insurance sector, advancing Taiwan’s broader objective of achieving long-term sustainable development within its financial services industry.
本委員會長期以來樂見台灣保險業持續保持開放與創新,以期在健全的風險管理之前提下,能盡量讓民眾用最便捷的方式獲得保險保障,因此在今年的白皮書,我們除了期許電子商務相關規定能持續放寬,同時關注試辦業務申請程序複雜的議題,希望主管機關考慮簡化試辦業務之申請流程,提升產品發展的效率及創新,以落實普惠金融的目標。
此外,有鑑於國際財務準則17號公報「保險合約」(IFRS17)與新一代清償能力制度(TW-ICS)將於115年1月1日實施,壽險業者大多已完成各項資本強化作業,本委員會建議保險業之現金股利分配審查機制,能回歸《公司法》及《保險法》的規定及程序,此調整將更能反映保險業強化資本結構現況,亦將使相關行政實務作業更能符合現行法規及金融市場現況。
本委員會衷心感謝政府為促進保險產業健全且具前瞻性的發展所盡心力,我們期盼與相關部會持續合作,建構穩健、透明且創新的產業環境,以促進台灣保險市場的長期發展。
建議一:持續深化金融科技的應用,加速臺灣保險市場的創新及數位發展
建議二:調整壽險業的現金股利分配審查機制
依《公司法》及《保險法》的規定,公司在彌補虧損、完納稅捐並提撥各種法定盈餘公積和特別盈餘公積後可分派盈餘,程序上係由會計師查核營業報告書及財務報表後,經董事會決議暨股東會承認後即可辦理現金股利分配予股東;惟依金管會102年金管保財字第10202501992號行政函令,壽險業者欲採發放現金股利分配盈餘時,除滿足《公司法》及《保險法》規定外,壽險業者須事先函報金管會,並由金管會依個別公司針對接軌新會計制度執行情形、經營績效及其財務業務健全度逐案審核倘核定通過,業者方可辦理現金股利分配。
然而,目前新的會計制度「國際財務準則17號公報」(IFRS17)與新一代清償能力制度(TW-ICS)即將於115年1月1日實施,壽險業者大多已完成必要的資本強化作業,並積極管理財務狀況及經營績效。前揭102年行政函令之意旨已與現今時空背景不同,且壽險業者對於各項法定財務業務指標均有相關內部監控機制,本委員會謹建議回歸公司法及保險法的規定及程序,並調整現金股利審查機制如后:
上述調整將使法規監管更加現代化並與國際標準接軌,同時提升保險業及投資人對產業發展的可預測性。此做法將使法規架構更加符合《公司法》及《保險法》所揭示的原則,並可透過強化內部治理及決策透明度來維持必要的保護措施。
本委員會期待透過上述具體明確、清晰且客觀行政指導,讓壽險業者更重視並強化內部控制、公司治理及財務穩健度,進而提升監管效能並營造更具預測性且更透明的營運環境,本委員會也相信此舉將增加外國投資人及本土金控公司對壽險業的信心,進而使其持續對壽險業者挹注資金,讓臺灣壽險業者的經營更加穩健且更具韌性,並使台灣金融服務業朝長期永續發展的目標邁進。