The Insurance Authority (IA) of Hong Kong is collaborating with Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) to launch a new television drama, IA Files (“保監有道”), scheduled to debut on Sept. 27.
The four-part series is designed to illustrate the IA’s regulatory and enforcement activities, drawing from actual cases to highlight common issues and regulatory responses in the insurance sector.
Speaking at the launch event, Maria Tsui, head of enforcement at the IA, remarked that the agency’s regulatory oversight has evolved since it assumed responsibility for insurance intermediaries seven years ago.
“We have focused on enhancing the conduct and professional standards of the industry through our regulatory and enforcement work to safeguard the interests of policy holders. The drama series will provide the public with a clearer understanding of our work and increase their knowledge of insurance, empowering them to better protect their rights,” she said.
Alan Wu, acting head of conduct supervision, noted that the series presents scenarios based on real-life complaints and investigations, including issues such as inadequate disclosure of policy features, improper inducement of policy replacements, unlicensed sales, and misappropriation of premiums.
“The IA places strong emphasis on the industry’s adherence to the principle of ‘treating customers fairly’, and it is vital for intermediaries to act in the best interests of their clients in their dealings,” he said.
Amy Kwong, assistant director of broadcasting at RTHK, explained that the program is intended to make insurance-related topics more accessible to the public, helping viewers understand the IA’s role and the broader impact of insurance on society.
The series features actors Ling Man Lung and Sofiee Ng, among others, and will be broadcast on RTHK TV31 and online platforms, including the IA’s YouTube channel.
In its Annual Report 2023-24, published in March 2025, the IA outlined its recent regulatory initiatives, market oversight activities, and efforts to protect policyholders.
The report emphasised the implementation of the Risk-Based Capital (RBC) regime, the expansion of the insurance-linked securities market, and the strengthening of enforcement actions.
The IA currently oversees 160 insurance companies and more than 115,300 licensed intermediaries. Over the past year, the regulator conducted a range of supervisory activities, including financial examinations, risk-based assessments, and joint inspections with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to review compliance with premium financing rules.
The IA also undertook targeted reviews on customer conduct, organised executive training on ethical standards, and monitored compliance with continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. The overall CPD compliance rate improved from 90% to 96.1% following these efforts.
To address misconduct, the IA supported the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers in launching a reference-checking scheme and continued work on the Policy Holders’ Protection Scheme (PPS).
The regulator also focused on anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT), providing updated guidelines and industry seminars.
Collaboration with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and the Hong Kong Police Force resulted in enforcement actions against unauthorised insurance sales to Mainland Chinese visitors.
In total, the IA initiated 66 investigations, imposed 2,025 disciplinary actions, and levied HK$7 million in fines for CPD non-compliance.
