Information about the Insurance Authority collecting levy on insurance premiums

Collection of levy on insurance premiums from policy owner by the Insurance Authority
(effective 1 January 2018)

Background

The Insurance Authority ("IA") has replaced the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance to regulate insurance companies since 26 June 2017. Under this new regulatory regime, with the gazette of the Insurance (Levy) Order ("the Order") and the Insurance (Levy) Regulation ("the Regulation"), all new and in-force policies underwritten in Hong Kong are subject to levy, effective 1 January 2018.
The statutory requirement on levy
 
  • All in-force policies are subject to levy with policy anniversary date on or after 1 January 2018.
  • Levy payable is calculated as a percentage of premiums and shall be paid by policy owners along with premiums. Levy rates and the maximum levy are prescribed by the Order as below, which shall apply throughout the policy year. Most of the AIA's Individual insurance policies are classified as "Long Term Business" whereas Group Business (employee benefits) and Personal Lines Business are classified as "General Business.
  • AIA shall inform our policy owners the levy amount of their policies through existing communication channels.
Policy Date or Policy Anniversary Date Levy Rate Maximum Levy
（HK$）
General Business Long Term Business
From 1 January 2018 to 31 March 2019 (both dates inclusive) 0.04% $2,000 $40
From 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 (both dates inclusive) 0.06% $3,000 $60
From 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 (both dates inclusive) 0.085% $4,250 $85
From 1 April 2021 onwards (inclusive of that date) 0.1% $5,000 $100
Examples of levy calculation

Example 1: Long Term Business

Type of insurance policy: Individual life insurance policy

Annualised premium*: HK$36,000

Policy date: 1 July 2017
Policy Anniversary Policy Anniversary Date Levy Rate Maximum Levy
（HK$）		 Levy Payable
（HK$）		 Remarks
1st 1 July 2017 0.00% -- -- --
2nd 1 July 2018 0.04% $40 $14.40 Below Maximum Levy
3rd 1 July 2019 0.06% $60 $21.60 Below Maximum Levy
4th 1 July 2020 0.085% $85 $30.60 Below Maximum Levy
5th 1 July 2021 0.1% $100 $36 Below Maximum Levy
*If the annualised premium is HK$110,000 with policy anniversary date on 1 July 2018, the levy payable is HK$40 as the calculated levy payable HK$44 has reached the maximum levy (i.e. HK$40) for 2018.

Example 2: General Business

Type of insurance policy: Group Business policy

Annualised premium*: HK$300,000

Policy date: 1 July 2017
Policy Anniversary Policy Anniversary Date Levy Rate Maximum Levy
（HK$）		 Levy Payable
（HK$）		 Remarks
1st 1 July 2017 0.00% -- -- --
2nd 1 July 2018 0.04% $2,000 $120 Below Maximum Levy
3rd 1 July 2019 0.06% $3,000 $180 Below Maximum Levy
4th 1 July 2020 0.085% $4,250 $255 Below Maximum Levy
5th 1 July 2021 0.1% $5,000 $300 Below Maximum Levy
*If the annualised premium is HK$5,100,000 with policy anniversary date on 1 July 2018, the levy payable is HK$2,000 as the calculated levy payable HK$2,040 has reached the maximum levy (i.e. HK$2,000) for 2018.

If you need more information…

If you have further questions on levy, please call our Customer Hotline on 22328888.

If you have further questions on collecting levy for corporate policy, please visit AIAHK Employee Benefits Online Service for information.

You can also visit the website of IA at www.ia.org.hk or call IA's Hotline on 38999983.

FAQ


The Insurance Authority ("IA") is a new insurance regulator independent of the Government. The objectives of its establishment are to modernize the insurance industry regulatory infrastructure to facilitate the stable development of the industry. It also provides better protection for policy owners with centralized licensing and governing system for insurance intermediaries, as well as complying with the requirement of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors. Thus, IA is financially and operationally independent of the government and industry.


The costs for establishing and operating the IA in its initial years are being covered by government funding. In the long run, the IA has to be financially independent and recover its operating costs through a premium levy from policy owners, and fees payable by insurance companies, intermediaries and users for specific services. From 1 January 2018, IA started collecting levy from policy owners. The levy rate started at 0.04% of the insurance premium per policy year and increased gradually to 0.1%. The amount of the levy imposed on each policy is subject to a cap.


The collection of levy on insurance premium took effect on 1 January 2018.


Levy applies on both in-force and new policies issued in Hong Kong, including both long term business and general business. Most of AIA's Individual insurance policies are classified as "Long Term Business" whereas Group Business (employee benefits) and Personal Lines Business are classified as "General Business".


As stated in the law, if a policy owner does not pay the levy as required, the IA may impose on the policy owner a penalty of up to HK$5,000, and may recover the outstanding levy as a civil debt due to IA.


No, solely overdue levy shall not result in policy lapse or impact on policy owner's right on his/her policy. Yet, we shall inform our policy owners through existing communication channels that they are statutorily required to pay levy on premiums and remind them to pay the overdue levy as soon as possible.


As premium discount of AIA Vitality membership has been stated as endorsement in the policy contract, the levy payable of AIA Vitality related policy will be calculated by the net premium after deduction of the AIA Vitality discount.


Yes, the levy paid will be refunded with the premium.


No, we will not deduct overdue levy from policy surrender value or maturity benefits. Yet, we will inform our policy owners that they are statutorily required to pay levy on premiums and remind them to pay the overdue levy as soon as possible.


If the Policy owner/ Assignee/ Trustee/ Beneficiary (i) have given consent on the claim form; and (ii) the related policy(ies) will be terminated due to subsequent claim payment, the company will deduct all of the outstanding levy from the claim payment. All of the outstanding levy will be shared by the above people who gave consent to the Company on an equal split basis.


Yes, a policy owner is required to repay both overdue levy as well as the prescribed levy for the new premium.


No, according to the Insurance (Levy) Regulation, a policy owner can only pay the levy via an authorised insurer. For AIA's payment channels, please visit :
http://www.aia.com.hk/en/help-and-support/individuals/premium-payment-channels.html (Hong Kong Post is not applicable for paying levy only).


No. A policy owner can pay the levy together with the premium in advance, but cannot pay the levy alone in advance. And if a policy owner pays advance payment that is not sufficient to cover both the premium and the levy, such payment will be deposited into the Future Premium Deposit Account (FPDA) of respective policy.


For any premium paid during the planned premium payment period, the maximum levy is applicable on a per policy year basis.  For any premium paid beyond the planned premium payment period, the maximum levy cap is applicable on a per premium transaction basis.


Yes. For all policy owners who pay premium through autopay, unless they have informed us in writing that they would arrange to pay the levy separately, we will collect both premium and levy in one go via autopay, but an overdue levy will not be collected. We therefore advise our policy owners to have sufficient funds in their bank account and adjust the autopay withdrawal limit with the bank (if applicable) to avoid additional bank charges.


Yes. We will collect both premium and levy in one go if the said policy provisions are exercised, unless the policy owner has informed us in writing that they would arrange to pay the levy separately. Besides, in case the policy owner's policy has outstanding levy, such amount will be displayed on Billing Notice and Anniversary Statement and we will send outstanding levy reminders to the policy owner.


If you have any questions on levy, please call our Customer Hotline on 22328888.

You can also visit the website of IA at www.ia.org.hk or call IA's Hotline on 38999983.