^aChina Insurance Regulatory Commission, No. 15 Jinrong Dajie, Xicheng District, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Abstract

The importance of agriculture in a country with 1.3 billion people is self-evident. Agricultural insurance, however, did not emerge in China until the 1930s. Having gone through twists and turns, agricultural insurance is now widely recognised as an important means of protection for production and for the life of people in rural areas. Under the guidance and with the support of the government at all levels, pilot projects of agricultural insurance are being carried out. The China Insurance Regulatory Commission is strengthening its supervision of agricultural business and exploring a set of regulations for this sector. As a result, the market is growing quickly; the market structure has become more diversified and more products are available. In the pilot efforts to find a good model for agricultural insurance in China, some successful experiments have been made. Policy support is found to be a necessity in a sustainable agricultural insurance system for China. Local differences should receive appropriate attention and innovation should be encouraged to create a practical agricultural system that satisfies local needs in a large country like China.