China Intensifies Work-Safety Liability Insurance Programme For High-Risk Industries

China Work-Safety Liability Insurance Programme Targets 2026 Coverage

China has launched a national programme to strengthen work-safety liability insurance and insurer-funded accident-prevention services in high-risk industries. Notice 应急厅函〔2026〕352号, issued on 29 September 2026, comes jointly from the Ministry of Emergency Management, the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the National Mine Safety Administration.

The programme covers mining, including oil and gas extraction, hazardous chemicals, fireworks and metal smelting. Regulators must establish or update enterprise registers, share information with insurers and inspect whether covered enterprises have insured all relevant personnel at an adequate level. The programme targets 100% coverage of supervised high-risk enterprises by the end of 2026.

The notice does not create the underlying insurance duty. That duty already comes from China's Work Safety Law and the implementation measures for work-safety liability insurance. Enterprises that are required to insure but have not done so, have omitted personnel or have insufficient cover may face rectification and penalties under the existing legal framework.

Accident Prevention Is Central To Insurer Performance

The notice requires insurers to increase resources for accident-prevention services. Expected activities include legal and mandatory-standard training, compliance self-check support, identification and remediation of major hazards, and safety-standardisation training. The hazardous-chemicals element is particularly relevant to manufacturers, storage operators and service contractors working with major hazard sources.

Insurance does not transfer the employer's primary responsibility for occupational health and safety. Enterprises must continue to identify and control hazards, train workers, maintain equipment, manage contractors and comply with permits, local measures and sector rules.

The regulators also refer to the AQ 9010 series for accident-prevention services. The official standards announcement confirms that AQ 9010.1 to AQ 9010.5-2026 were issued in June but formally take effect on 1 January 2027.

The programme follows other recent changes to China's safety framework, including mandatory personal protective equipment standards and the GB/T 47911-2026 management standard for small enterprises. Each instrument has a different legal status, scope and start date.