Who is the controller of modern insurance in China, China Insurance Network?

There is always a question in the history of modern insurance development in China: whether in the Qing Dynasty or the Republic of China, the government did not have a special insurance supervision and management institution or a formed insurance law, but the number of insurance institutions, business development speed, insurance design norms, risk management and control level and the quality of employees were in a relatively reasonable operating range. The insurance market centered on Shanghai was once called the Oriental Insurance Center. What's the secret behind this?

Who is FOCF?

The history of modern insurance industry in China is a history of western insurance companies controlling and monopolizing the market. If you don't know FOCF (Fire Bureau Committee (External)), it is inevitable that you will have a hazy view on modern insurance in China. So far, all the monographs on insurance history in China have not mentioned FOCF.

On this issue, Tang, Lin Zhenfeng, Ye Yide and other insurance veterans have mentioned it many times, but due to the lack of information in this area, they do not know the details. They have repeatedly stressed that only by uncovering the true face of FOCF can we truly understand the operating mechanism, characteristics and internal laws of China's modern insurance market. With the membership of HECP (1999) and CII, I became the first China scholar to obtain the FOCF insurance file.

Report of Shanghai Fire Department of British Overseas Fire Protection Association, as of the end of March 1874.

FOCF is a sister organization of the Fire Office Committee (Family). The latter was established in 1868, which controls the domestic fire insurance market in Britain, while the former focuses on overseas markets.

The history of FOCF can be traced back to 1859. Some insurance companies engaged in fire insurance business in British overseas colonies began to hold regular fire insurance business meetings to solve insurance disputes and disputes. 1869, 29 fire insurance companies participated in the formulation of overseas fire insurance rate table, which was formally promulgated and implemented, thus forming the overseas fire insurance Committee, referred to as FOCF.

At first, its scope of work was limited to the classification of fire insurance rates, the unification of insurance policies and the formulation of insurance laws and regulations. Later, he gradually became the main maker, reviser and supervisor of fire insurance rules, the arbiter of insurance disputes, the approver of the establishment of important insurance institutions, the host of major insurance activities, the summarizer, trainer and promoter of insurance theory, practice and technology, and the coordinator of dealing with non-fire insurance organizations. Non-fire insurance companies in China and abroad are also closely following FOCF.

Joint insurance social security policy.

Its strong control is shown in the following aspects: First, FOCF is the main maker, modifier and supervisor of fire insurance rules. For example. 1840 In July, Tianjin Foreign Fire Insurance Association issued NoticeNo. 10, in which the FOCF notice was published, "When filling out insurance policies, dangerous goods in different standard forms must be used for shops, warehouses, pawn shops and warehouses". Secondly, it is also the coordinator to deal with the relationship with non-fire organizations. For example, within Tianjin Foreign Fire Insurance Association, there are not only fire insurance committee and rate committee, but also water insurance committee and auto insurance committee. Thirdly, the classification of fire insurance rates, the unification of insurance policies and the formulation of insurance laws and regulations also have a decisive impact on non-fire insurance companies.

FOCF has a set of strict rules and regulations, which have been revised and supplemented many times according to the specific situation and business development. For example, the Rules for Overseas Fire Risks promulgated in June 189 1 was revised on the basis of the corresponding rules adopted in June 1887. The rule is divided into text and five appendix tables.

The text is divided into two parts, with 33 articles. Its main contents are:

1. All members of this committee are from the fire insurance company.

2. The meeting place of this committee is set at 63 Watling Street and queen street 1 1.

Every member of this committee has the right to appoint or dismiss directors, managers or other important officials at any time.

4. The Committee may elect a chairman to preside over the work of the Committee, who shall hold office until his successor is elected.

5. Hold a regular meeting once a year in May and 1 1 respectively. The chairman of this Committee has the right to decide to convene a special meeting, or at least six members of the Committee jointly propose or convene a special meeting. However, a written request must be made at least eight days before the meeting, and the members of the Committee should be informed of the exact date, content and main purpose of the meeting.

6. If the chairman of this Committee is absent, the delegates may temporarily elect another chairman to preside over the meeting.

7. Every representative or member attending the meeting of the Committee can participate in the activity without objection (in this case, the decision of the chairman is final); All questions submitted to the Committee shall be adopted by a majority of the representatives present at the meeting. Once the vote is passed, it will take effect.

8. At the first regular meeting every year, 15 arbitrators will be nominated for a term of one year. All the delegates attending the Committee meeting can vote for 15 arbitrators he recognizes (the headquarters of the fire insurance company of the arbitrator should be located in the UK), and the one who gets the most votes is elected. 15 The list of arbitrators shall be written in the meeting memorandum according to the number of votes cast.

9. If the membership of the committee represented by the arbitrator is cancelled or revoked, the arbitrator shall be disqualified accordingly.

10. This committee has the right to modify or add new contents to the formulated rules at any time. However, a letter should be sent to all members of this Committee eight days in advance (the following clauses concerning specific insurance business are omitted).

In 189 1, FOCF*** has 23 member companies. Namely Alliance Insurance Company (founded in 1824), American Insurance Company, Atlas Insurance Company (1808), Scottish Insurance Company (1805), General Insurance Company (1885), Glasgow and London Insurance Company and Guardian Insurance Company (65435). Kent Fire Company (1802), Lancashire Insurance Company (188 London and Providence Marine Insurance and General Insurance Company (1890), Manchester Insurance Company (1846), National Insurance Company, New Zealand National Insurance Company, British Northern Commercial Insurance Company (. Queen's Insurance Company (1857), Royal Insurance Company (1845), Royal Exchange Insurance Company (1720), Scottish National Insurance Company (1878), New Zealand Nanying Insurance Company and Sun Fire Insurance Company (/kloc-0) At the peak of the 20th century, there were more than 50 member companies.

In addition, FOCF has set up a large number of branches in the overseas insurance market, namely the local fire insurance association. According to the statistics of FOCF 19 17, it has approved the establishment of 24 regional fire insurance industry associations around the world. Including Argentina, Bangkok, Myanmar, Kolkata, Ceylon, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, Hankou, Tianjin, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jamaica, Japan, Madras (India), Manila, Mexico, Newfoundland, Penang (Penang), Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad, Uruguay and Valparaiso (Chile). 1929 increased to 42, and then developed to more than 50.

/kloc-a corner of hong kong in the 0/840s.

With the rapid development of fire insurance business in the world, FOCF's own institutions are also expanding, and some auxiliary institutions have been established. First, permanent institutions, such as standing committees and professional committees (established according to insurance links, types of insurance and functions); Second, temporary institutions, special committees set up to deal with some major insurance business or insurance disputes, generally called sub-committees; ; Third, institutions specializing in regional or national insurance business, such as London Continental Fire Insurance Committee (1920), London Australian Insurance Committee (1925), London West Africa Insurance Committee (1958), London South Africa Insurance Committee (1966) and Ireland Fire Insurance Committee (.

People's Insurance Company 1932 Fire Insurance Policy.

FOCF Shanghai Fire Insurance Association China Branch

The modern insurance history of China is a history of diversified development. China's national insurance industry, bureaucratic capital insurance industry, foreign insurance industry and revolutionary base insurance industry are still in their infancy, and their groups and institutions are intertwined and complicated. However, the foreign insurance industry, led by Britain, basically occupied a dominant and monopoly position in the old China insurance market for one and a half centuries.

The development of modern insurance history in China can be roughly divided into three stages:

The early period (65438+mid-early 9th century) was an extreme period for the development of insurance industry in Macau, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The characteristic of this period is that foreign insurance companies mainly entrust foreign companies in China to engage in insurance agency business. According to statistics, 1838' s 55 foreign companies in Guangzhou represent the insurance business of 15 foreign insurance companies. /kloc-The first foreign insurance company in China, Guangzhou Insurance Institute (also known as Guangzhou Insurance Institute and Guangzhou Insurance Association), appeared in 0/805, which opened the curtain of modern insurance in China.

Mid-term stage (65438+1960s-1937): the development period centering on Shanghai and Tianjin, Hankou and Hong Kong. This period is characterized by the coexistence of foreign insurance, national insurance, bureaucratic capital insurance and people's insurance, but foreign insurance is dominant, dominant and monopolistic. China Insurance Yearbook (1937) shows that there are 126 foreign insurance institutions in Shanghai alone, while there are only 24 Chinese insurance companies. An important event that is often overlooked at this stage is the establishment of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association, which is a branch of FOCF in China. But when this institution was established, there is no textual research. According to the 1900 flood list published by British businessmen in Shanghai (the office of North China Herald), it can be known that the office of "Shanghai Fire Insurance Association (foreign-funded) Fire Insurance Association" is located in Beijing Road, Shanghai, and its chairman is liddell. Based on this, it can be inferred that before 1899, Shanghai established the World Insurance Association. On February 2nd, 19 10, Shanghai Foreign Insurance Association published a notice in Shenbao: "Since the opening of Shanghai, there have been more than 40 foreign-funded fire insurance companies in China. There have always been foreign associations, and the legislation is perfect and abided by. However, it is fair for managers in China to manage the fire risks of foreign companies. In the near future, there will be different kinds of people. Every time there is a flow of greed for small profits, it is not the same industry. In fact, it is touted everywhere, and the chapter is destroyed regardless of the overall situation. Gentlemen in the same trade are eager to rectify. In June of Xuantongyuan (July-August, 1909), we got together to discuss the agreed rules for the establishment of China Foreign Fire Insurance Association. "According to this clue, we further explored the FOCF historical archives behind invisibility and finally found the answer: Shanghai Fire Protection Association was established in May 1895, 16.

Fire Insurance Policy 194 1 year (Shanghai) Ba Le Insurance Company.

Interruption, recovery and retreat of foreign insurance industry

Late period (1940s-early 1950s). This is a period of interruption, recovery and retreat of foreign insurance industry.

It is particularly noteworthy that the establishment of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association has inevitable subjective and objective conditions:

First, the independence of the insurance industry. The establishment of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association has initially completed the transformation from an insurance institution affiliated to a foreign-funded company to an independent insurance institution. Founded around the First Opium War, Laoyanghang has a wide range of business, mainly engaged in trade, and also engaged in docks, warehouses, ship repair, banking, insurance and so on. /kloc-In the second half of the 9th century, the first generation foreign firm has been replaced by the second generation foreign firm characterized by its shipping system, and its insurance business has been separated from its parent company and externalized into an independent insurance institution. Among them, Yangzi Insurance Company (established in 1862), Baojiahang (1863), Chinese and foreign multinational insurance company Baoning (1865), Hong Kong Huozhu Insurance Company (1866) and Sino-Japanese marine insurance company Baoyu are famous.

Jardine Matheson Shanghai's first office address is located on the left side of the British Consulate (red dot in the picture).

Second, the tentacles of foreign insurance industry extend from the main trading ports to the hinterland of the mainland, forming a national insurance network led by Britain, which controls the insurance market in China from the overall situation and organization. The initial form of this insurance network is to entrust a foreign company to engage in insurance agency business. According to statistics, in 1866, there were 102 insurance agencies in six major trade ports, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tianjin, Fuzhou, Xiamen and Shantou, and 1900 insurance agencies 148 insurance agencies (represented by 52 foreign companies). But at the same time, this primitive form of insurance network has gradually undergone qualitative changes, and it has a tendency to be replaced by developed insurance networks. The latter, through the insurance management institutions established in Shanghai (such as China branch, head office or Far East branch, branch, etc. ), set up branches or agencies in major trading ports and towns with more insurance business (towns with less insurance business still entrust foreign firms or comprador agents). According to the statistics of 1894, there are branches established by foreign-funded insurance companies in 19 cities such as Hongkong, Guangzhou, Huangpu, Chongqing, Shantou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Taiwan Province, Ningbo, Yantai, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, Zhenjiang, Yichang, Jiujiang and Hankou.

Buildings along the Huangpu River in Shanghai are 65438 to 0890.

Third, in the fierce competition, foreign-funded insurance companies in China have made objective demands for the establishment of insurance self-regulatory organizations, aiming at preventing vicious competition (such as "lowering premiums" and "competing for discounts and rebates"), * * * setting rates, unifying premiums, unified management and collective action. More importantly, in order to compete effectively with the rising insurance industry in China. The latter successively established Jardine Matheson Insurance Bank (1865), China Merchants Insurance (1875), Renhe Marine Insurance Company (1876), Antai Insurance Company (1877) and Jihe Shipyard Insurance Bureau (1877) Yan Chai and Water and Fire Insurance Company (1886), etc. That Thomas Knox wrote in "Harper's New Month" (1878) that "China people learn business courses taught by foreigners invisibly, and they learn them well. Facts have proved that he is a stronger opponent than his mentor. In all China ports, there are banks in China, insurance companies in China, trade groups in China, shipping companies in China and other enterprises. " .

Fourthly, Shanghai has developed into the center of China insurance industry, including foreign insurance industry. 1842 since the opening of Shanghai, foreign trade centers, shipping centers, financial centers and insurance centers have moved to Shanghai from Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macao. /kloc-By the middle of the 9th century, the number of foreign firms in Shanghai had increased to more than 160, and the total import and export volume reached1000 million taels of silver. According to the statistics of Insurance History of China (1894), since Daoguang and Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty, there have been nearly 50 insurance companies and their agencies established by foreign businessmen in Shanghai Cape. The annual output premium is about four million and two thousand silver. In addition to ten insurance companies, including Yangzi Insurance Company, Security Company, Baokang, Baojiahang, Shuiping, Humboldt, Baochuan, Baoninghang, Party Building and Far East, there are 133 foreign insurance companies that entrust 39 foreign banks to set up insurance agencies. Its famous foreign firms include Reggie, Tongfu, Bala, Taikoo, Lihe, Baoshun, Tian Xiang, Xielong, Renji, Hershey, Jardine Mathews, Greenwood, Chen Chen, Fengtai, Tianfu, Mitsui, Xinqichang, Laogongmao, Yiji, Tailong, Deji and Gong Dou.

This is the background of the establishment of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association, the first foreign insurance association in China at the end of 19.

Foreign-funded fire insurance companies in Shanghai have been planning to establish fire insurance industry associations for several years. This process is also a process of bargaining and mutual game between insurance companies and interest groups:

Germination period (65438+70s and 80s of 2009)-a period of joint action of loose insurance groups.

Its germination can be traced back to at least 1876 (the second year of Guangxu), Guangdong Insurance Company (Yihe), Security Company, Baojiahang, Yangzi Insurance Company (Qichang Foreign Company), China Insurance Company (Tongfu Foreign Company), London Donghui Insurance Company (British Shipping Company) and Murray Insurance Company (Tianyuan Insurance Company).

188 1 year (the seventh year of Guangxu), Guangdong Insurance Company (Jardine Matheson), Baoan Bank, North China Insurance Company, Yangzi Insurance Company, Chinese Business Insurance Company, China Insurance Company (the most fashionable foreign firm), London Donghui Insurance Company, Antaihang Insurance Company, Baohe Manager Insurance Company, Chen Chen Manager Insurance Company, etc., together with the subsidiaries of China Shipping Merchants Bureau.

The collective action of the above-mentioned foreign insurers undoubtedly kicked off the establishment of Shanghai Foreign Fire Insurance Association.

Jardine Matheson Group's first office in pedder street.

The gestation period (65438+early 1990s) is characterized by the regular or irregular meetings of Shanghai fire insurance agents held by foreign insurance companies and foreign fire insurance agents in Shanghai.

Undoubtedly, this conference system is the prototype of the first foreign insurance association in China. 1. The meeting place is fixed, usually in the office building of Beiying Commercial Insurance Company, No.2 Guangdong Road. Second, the meeting time is fixed, and a regular meeting is usually held once a week. Third, there is a standing committee in the meeting, which is composed of the chairman and the executive secretary. After each meeting, the minutes of the meeting will be sent to all member companies. The famous Chirt Library in London still keeps several incomplete meeting minutes of Shanghai fire insurance agents at 1892, 1893 and 1894. For example, in June 1892 65438+ 10/8, * * there are Beiying Commercial Insurance Company, Sun Insurance Company, Imperial Insurance Company, Business Alliance Insurance Company, London and Lancashire Insurance Company, New Zealand Insurance Company, Dutch Insurance Company, Hamburg Fire Insurance Company, General Insurance Company and Alliance Insurance Company. A meeting of Shanghai fire insurance agents was held at No.2 Guangdong Road, chaired by J.A.Ballard, the agent of British Northern Commercial Insurance Company and Commercial Alliance Insurance Company, with Wm. Graham, manager of New Zealand Insurance Company, served as secretary. This meeting mainly discussed the issue of unifying insurance rates. "Everyone will abide by the insurance premium regulations agreed by the public and the public, and there is no harm in discussing each other." Its main contents are as follows: (1) The premium of the first-class grocery warehouse is 420 Liang per thousand and twenty-one years, except silk, tea and foreign cloth; (2) A premium of 4,282 ‰ for a first-class stone warehouse with walls on all sides or two connected buildings with high walls on all sides; (3) The first-class residence with solid brick walls is 2,820 per thousand; (4) Shikumen solid houses, front and rear brick walls, houses with windproof and fireproof partitions on both sides, 22 rooms per thousand households; (5) 1220 yuan is required if the outside of the city gate is imitation of foreign flavor and the inside is Chinese style; (6) Yang Fangbu's name in Jiamu City, every 1,022; (7) House number, for urban houses or residential wooden frame houses, every one thousand two hundred and fifty-two, every one thousand two hundred plus two hundred, and so on. Before the resolution was finalized, it was discussed and revised at the meetings of Shanghai fire insurance agents in April 13, April 27th and May 13.

Therefore, the framework of the regular meeting of Shanghai fire insurance agents laid the embryonic form of Shanghai Foreign Fire Insurance Association, which is actually its veritable predecessor.

Period of Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association (Rate Agreement Committee) (1894—1May 895)

The important topic of frequent meetings of Shanghai fire insurance agents in 1894 is to try to sign a China fire insurance rate agreement acceptable to all parties, and then set up Shanghai fire insurance rate association. After many heated debates and repeated revisions, an agreement text, namely "Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Rules", was finally produced in April of 1895, and was finally formally adopted at the general meeting of fire insurance agents in May of 16. This is the famous China 1895 Tariff Agreement (Tariff Agreement 1895), on which the Customs Agreement Committee was established.

Shanghai Fire Insurance Association badge.

The rate association (1895 May 16) consists of four parts: introduction, text, rate table and signatures of member units. Text * * * is divided into 1 1:

Article 1: It is unanimously agreed that the fire insurance industry should strive to ensure the safety of Shanghai and its adjacent areas. In order to maintain its unity, it is necessary to maintain an appropriate insurance rate, thus promoting the overall interests of the fire insurance industry.

Article 2: The Association unanimously agrees to adopt the fire insurance rate table 1895 approved by the headquarters of each company and issued by Shanghai.

Article 3: The above fire insurance rate table shall be implemented as of the date of promulgation, and new insurance business and renewal business shall be handled accordingly.

Article 4 All insurance agencies shall take immediate measures to ensure that the headquarters of relevant companies recognize and approve the current rate agreement.

Article 5 In order to resolve the differences between agents and safeguard the overall interests, relevant committees must be established. The Committee is re-elected once a year. This year's Committee is composed of Ballard, butterworth, fleet, His Excellency Kempthorne, Little and Brewster. They have the right to nominate new members of the supplementary Committee. The chairman, treasurer and secretary-general of the Committee are elected by all members of the Committee.

Article 6: The Committee accepts and handles all difficult or controversial rate cases until they are submitted to the general meeting of agents.

Article 7: If necessary, the Committee may convene a general meeting of all agents to discuss the new membership meeting, but it must be effectively recommended by at least five of our agents.

Article 8: It is unanimously agreed that all companies shall pay the fees related to the rate agreement in proportion.

Article 9 The Committee may bear part of the expenses of the fire brigade according to the specific circumstances.

Article 10: Anyone who wants to quit this rate agreement organization must submit a written notice three months ago.

Article 1 1: We generally do not accept reinsurance or reinsurance business of any company unrelated to this rate agreement.

The rate table is roughly divided into six parts: European residents, China residents, special risk clauses, discounts and bonuses, commissions and precautions.

Period during which Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association (Fee Agreement Committee) changed its name to Shanghai Fire Insurance Association (July-September, 1895).

Once in power, the order will be settled. In just a few months, Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association and Rate Agreement Committee issued five notices, namely 1 on May 30, 985, No.2, No.3 (July 1) and No.4 (July 12).

However, the Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association and its committee are not legal and must be formally approved by the London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee in queen street 1 1. We have obtained the approval of the London Underwriters Association (ABl), the largest insurance organization in the UK, and can consult and consult some files of the London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee in its collection. At present, these files only have 1874- 1974 volumes, and the index of 45 boxes of cards is open to some extent. Unfortunately, we have not found any correspondence between Shanghai Fire Protection Association and its committee and London Overseas Fire Protection Committee during this period. In addition, the minutes of the London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee, which holds a regular meeting at least once a week, are incomplete. For example, the meetings related to China insurance market in 1895 are only three minutes, which are March 29th, May 3rd, July 5th and June 5438+1October 4th. But the good news is that we have found relevant indirect evidence:

Evidence 1:1On July 25th, 895, the new term "Shanghai Association" first appeared in the minutes of the meeting of the London Overseas Fire Protection Committee.

Evidence 2:1895101October 4th, the minutes of the meeting of the London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee established the "Local Fire Insurance Association" for the first time, and Shanghai and Hong Kong were impressively listed. However, it is not clear when the Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association, which was established on May 6, 1995/kloc-0, became the Shanghai Fire Insurance Association.

Evidence 3: 1899 65438+1On October 20th, the London Overseas Fire Protection Committee published an exciting short message on the "Regional Fire Protection Association" in the minutes of the meeting: Shanghai held its fourth annual meeting on May 26th,1899, and Hong Kong held its fourth annual meeting at the same time. The London Overseas Fire Protection Committee has accepted and approved these two regional fire protection associations. According to the meeting minutes of 1922 London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee on May 25th, its "Regional Fire Insurance Association" announced that it had received the 27th annual report of Hong Kong and Shanghai Fire Insurance Associations. From this calculation, it can be determined that Shanghai Foreign Fire Insurance Association was established in 1895.

But the above three evidences are only indirect evidence. Can we find direct evidence? Is Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association and its Committee Shanghai Foreign Fire Insurance Association? When and under what circumstances did they change their names? We changed our work route and research path in time. Since we can't find the materials we need in the incomplete files of the London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee, can we consult the files of the member companies of the Committee? This circuitous tactic is undoubtedly looking for a needle in a haystack and can only be reluctant. "There is no doubt about mountains and rivers, and there is another village." In the process of searching for British famous works and insurance institutions for several weeks, we accidentally found Notice No.6 (1895.09. 13) issued in the name of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association in hundreds of cases of Sun Insurance Company (a member of London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee and a member of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association). Paragraph 3 of the notification reads as follows:

"Secretary-General of London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee? We have received your letter of June 65438, 2002. " Due to the long time, the files in the case file are not only yellow, but also damaged. English month is ambiguous, so use "?" It is emphasized in the letter that the Committee has examined and approved the rules of Shanghai fire insurance rate, and invited the Shanghai Association of Agents to apply to join the Committee, but the application should be made in the name of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association. We decided to issue a notice to inform all insurance agents (omitted) "

Obviously, Shanghai Foreign Fire Insurance Association was established in May 1895, 16. It uses the names of Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association and Shanghai Rate Agreement Committee, and has been approved by London Overseas Fire Insurance Committee. Announcement No.6 was issued on September 13 of the same year, and it was changed to its current name.

FOCF's four branches in China

FOCF is the "shadowless hand" who manages, controls and manipulates the insurance market in China. In the organizational system, the subordinate member companies are mainly controlled by the four maritime fire insurance associations in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tianjin and Hankou, namely FOCF, the four major fire insurance associations. The second channel of control and management is FOCF member companies-subordinate branches or agencies in China. Its China tariff designed specifically for China fire insurance market is revised and promulgated almost every few years. This is the "rules of the game" that all foreign insurance companies in China must implement. In fact, FOCF has become the command center, management center and arbitration center of Britain's huge overseas fire insurance market, including the old China insurance market.

The original warehouse of Jardine Matheson Tianjin Branch was built in the early 1920s.

Shanghai Fire Insurance Trade Association ranks first among the fire insurance trade associations of the four big ocean merchants in old China. On May 1895 and 16, foreign-funded fire insurance agents in Shanghai held the inaugural meeting of Shanghai Fire Insurance Rate Association and established the "Rate Association Committee". The British Overseas Fire Insurance Committee sent a letter on July 12, approving the Shanghai fire insurance rate rules, and urging it to apply for membership of the Committee in the name of Shanghai Fire Insurance Association.

At the same time, FOCF also approved the report on the establishment of the Hong Kong Fire Protection Association.

1896, FOCF approved the establishment of Tianjin fire insurance company. After several years of coordination and direct intervention, Hankou Fire Insurance Association was also urged to be established. On the other hand, 19 17 established "Hankou Western Merchants Fire Insurance Association" and "Tianjin Fire Insurance Association" (see Wuhan Finance and Tianjin Tongzhi Insurance). This has formed a management network of foreign-funded fire insurance institutions, led by Shanghai Fire Insurance Association and supplemented by Hong Kong, Tianjin and Hankou. On 192 1 and 1922, FOCF repeatedly instructed and supervised the establishment of the National China Foreign Fire Insurance Association in Shanghai.