I. Introduction

[1]

In General

Vietnam continues to make economic progress. Economic growth has lifted many Vietnamese out of poverty. At the same time, the middle class is expanding. WTO membership, the negotiation of numerous free trade agreements and the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (“AEC”) have given Vietnam access to foreign markets and capital, while making Vietnamese companies, particularly Vietnamese insurance enterprises, stronger through increased competition.

Many foreign insurance companies (particularly in the life segment) operate in Vietnam and treat Vietnam as a natural extension of their regional or global footprints. New products are being developed. Agency networks are being built. In the non-life segment, local companies have generally shown more pricing discipline than have their counterparts elsewhere in the region.

Companies are also beginning to provide innovative products tailored to Vietnam. 2017 saw a relatively high growth rate in the insurance sector at 21% with total posted premiums at VND 105.6 trillion (US$ 4.6 billion)[2]. Total value of the insurance sector is around VND 303 trillion (US$ 13.3 billion), up 23.44% compared to 2016. Insurance companies invested around VND 248 trillion (US$ 11.0 billion), up 26.74% compared to 2016. This includes investment in government bonds.[3]

History and Relevant Laws

The Vietnamese legal system operates hierarchically. The National Assembly passes law. The particular ministries then issue Decrees, Ordinances and Circulars to interpret and administer those laws. All of these are relevant in the regulation of the Vietnamese insurance industry.

When Vietnam became unified and was a planned economy, insurance was not considered a business activity. It was viewed as a means to share risk among state-owned enterprises and to satisfy Vietnam’s insurance obligations in international business transactions. The Vietnam Insurance Corporation (“BaoViet”) monopolized the insurance industry. BaoViet, itself a state-owned enterprise, was formed under the authority of, and is supervised by, the Ministry of Finance (“MOF”). The MOF permitted BaoViet to divest specific lines of insurance products. This was a sign of a shift in the way state-owned enterprises were viewed.

In late 1993, Vietnam began to recognize insurance as a business activity, and therefore subject to business regulation, including competition laws. Early attempts to regulate the insurance industry set forth basic rules governing insurance enterprises. Decree No. 100/CP dated December 18, 1993, authorized the formation of insurance enterprises other than state-owned enterprises. The Law on Insurance Business dated December 9, 2000 (“LOIB”) replaced early attempts to regulate insurance providers, and developed a comprehensive approach to the insurance business. After 10 years of operation, some parts of the LOIB were amended and have been amended and supplemented by Law 61/2010/QH12 which was issued by the National Assembly on November 24, 2010 (“Law 61”) (In this Chapter, a reference to the LOIB will include a reference to Law 61). In July 2016, the Government’s Decree 73/2016/ND-CP (“Decree 73/2016”) which implements the LOIB and Law 61 came into effect and replaced all previous implementing regulations of the LOIB, which included Decree 45/2007/ND-CP,[4] Decree 46/2007/ND-CP,[5] Decree 123/2011/ND-CP,[6] Decree 68/2014/ND-CP[7] and Circular 124/2012/TT-BTC.[8] On May 15, 2017, the MOF issued Circular 50/2017/TT-BTC (“Circular 50/2017”) to provide guidance for the implementation of Decree 73/2016. Decree 76/2016 and Circular 50/2017 can be seen as an appropriate synchronization of various documents that implement the LOIB.

In addition to the LOIB, the Maritime Law[9] contains a section that governs marine insurance purchased for marine contracts.[10]

Various laws have recognized the importance of maintaining competition in the marketplace and streamlining the role of government in the insurance industry. Moreover, an increased emphasis on promoting competition has resulted in laws that expressly forbid anti-competitive activities. The Commercial Law, passed in June 2005, prohibits inappropriate competitive activity in general.

The Competition Law, established in July 2005, and about to be significantly revised, introduced more comprehensive legislation dealing with anti-competitive products. The Competition Law covers two broad categories of anti-competitive practices: practices that may restrain competition, such as agreements in the restraint of trade, abuse of dominant market position, economic concentration, and unfair competitive practices, including coercion, defamation, and deceptive advertising. The Competition Law also established exemptions from its own regulations. The Law relates to the insurance sector in two ways. First, the general application of the Law’s principles prevents insurers from misrepresenting the coverage terms of policies to potential customers, and demands transparency as a systemic necessity for the industry. Second, practical considerations suggest that while particular aspects of the industry may technically breach competition laws, limited exemptions are provided for activities such as sharing of loss information or pooling arrangements. The Competition Law’s existing provisions on co-operation and competition in the insurance business have been revamped by LOIB, and now include additional detail on both the types of cooperation which are permitted, as well as the specific types of conduct which are prohibited, for example collusion aimed at carving up the insurance market.

Finally, the LOIB specifically prohibits illegal competitive action. These laws forbid providing untruthful information and false advertising related to insurance terms and policies, and intimidating customers or employees of other insurance enterprises.[11]

The Law on Health Insurance, dated November 14, 2008 and the amended law dated June 13, 2014 are applicable to all individuals and organizations, both domestic and foreign, and govern the eligibility and the scope of insurance coverage, health insurance funding, rights and obligations of insurers and insureds, and provide a road map for universal health insurance. The law has had a considerable impact on enterprises, which are obligated to provide health insurance coverage for all employees working under indefinite-term labour contracts or labour contacts with a definite term of three months or more, as well as for managers who receive wages.

International Agreements

The U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (“BTA”) came into effect in December 2001. The BTA bound the Vietnamese Government to permit greater access by American insurance companies to the domestic market. Beginning five years from the effective date, American insurance companies were permitted to establish 100% foreign invested enterprises to provide both compulsory and non-compulsory insurance products.

Implementation of the BTA eliminated the limits on U.S. capital participation in the insurance industry. Vietnam’s accession to the World Trade Organization in January of 2007 opened the market to other foreign investors.

Under its WTO Commitments, beginning January 1, 2008, Vietnam started to give equal treatment to both foreign and domestic insurance enterprises. Foreign insurance enterprises provide insurance services to foreign invested and wholly foreign owned companies in Vietnam. They may also provide reinsurance, international transport insurance, and insurance brokerage services. Foreign invested insurance enterprises may also deal in compulsory insurance products, such as liability insurance for vehicle owners.

The AEC was officially established on December 31, 2015 and Vietnam is part of the community. The AEC aims to create a single free market in ASEAN by 2020. This would mean that an insurance enterprise in ASEAN will be able to provide insurance services to clients in other ASEAN countries on a cross-border basis; a client in an ASEAN country could freely choose to purchase insurance services from another ASEAN country; and an insurance expert could work freely in the ASEAN region.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (“TPP”) was signed on February 4, 2016, in Auckland, New Zealand. However, after the withdrawal of the US, the TPP was replaced by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (“CPTPP”), which was signed on March 8, 2018 in Santiago, Chile. CPTPP is a comprehensive agreement, with the aim to create a new potential market for goods and services which in turn will create a great opportunity and also a challenge for insurance enterprises. Once CPTPP is ratified, an insurance enterprise in one of the eleven member countries can expand its businesses to another member country, subject to certain conditions.

Internal and External Supervision

The Government is responsible for providing guidelines to explain and implement the law, and the MOF is responsible for implementing state regulations and supervising insurance activities. The MOF grants and withdraws licenses to establish and operate insurance enterprises.[12]

Insurance enterprises must make periodic reports to the MOF. Additional reporting requirements apply if there are unusual developments within the enterprise, or if the enterprise fails either to meet its financial requirements or to fulfill commitments to its customers.[13] Liquidation of or mergers between insurance enterprises must be carried out under the supervision of the MOF, and changes in management structure or intended investment overseas require MOF approval. The MOF also carries out financial inspections of insurance enterprises once a year.

The MOF acts both as a government regulator of insurance enterprises, and as an owner of several joint stock companies formed from the equitization of state-owned insurance enterprises. This dual role continues to pose a conflict of interest in terms of administrative enforcement.

In addition to the regulatory role of the MOF, insurance enterprises must also adopt a system of internal supervision and control. The MOF’s Circular 195/2014/TT-BTC dated December 17, 2014 (“Circular 195/2014”) provides guidance to evaluate and classify insurance enterprises. Circular 195/2014 replaces the system of supervisory criteria for insurance enterprises that was introduced by Decision 153/2003/QD-BTC dated September 22, 2003. Insurance enterprises are evaluated and classified based on four categories of criteria: (i) Solvency, operation reserves and business efficiency; (ii) Insurance business activities; (iii) Capital, asset and investment quality; and (iv) Business administration and information transparency. Each category of criteria varies among life and non-life insurance enterprises, life or non-life. This evaluation and classification system can be used as a consistent and systematic analytical tool by the MOF, as well as for internal supervision by an insurance enterprise to determine its business status and to detect and prevent insolvency. An insurance enterprise must file an evaluation report and the annual financial report with the MOF within 90 days from the last day of the preceding fiscal year.

Insurance enterprises create internal control systems to ensure that their operations comply with the law. Records and results of internal audits must be in writing and filed at the enterprise’s office. Circular 50/2017 provides further guidance on the financial regimes to manage internal control, including decentralizing and maintaining internal control activities independent from the executive and professional activities of the enterprise; preserving the objectivity of the internal auditors; and ensuring that the internal auditors have the necessary professional skills and qualifications to conduct such audits. Internal auditors must also assess the internal audit system itself, and verify the efficacy of existing rules for identifying risks and of methods for measuring and managing those risks. They must also check the flow of information within the firm, and assess compliance with the law, with regulations on the establishment of reserves and with professional ethics.

The Vietnam Insurance Association (“VIA”) was established in 1999 as a professional association. The VIA has a role in oversight, since an enterprise must inform the VIA of any agents with whom the enterprise has terminated its relationship due to legal or professional malfeasance. As the market expands, the VIA may play a greater part in establishing professional and ethical rules, and providing a forum in which market participants can communicate with each other and with the Government.

The procedures and documents necessary to establish an insurance enterprise are provided in Decree 73/2016.  Potential shareholders of an insurance enterprise must prepare three sets of application documents, one original set and two copied sets, which must include all the documents required by Decree 73/2016. Within twenty one (21) days of receipt of the application, the MOF is required to notify the applicant in writing if it needs to supplement the application documents. Within six (6) months of notice, if the applicants fail to satisfy the MOF, the MOF will dismiss the application and notify the applicants in writing. If the application is successful, the MOF will issue an Establishment and Operation License (“Business License”) within 60 days from the date of receiving the application. If the MOF determines not to issue a Business License, it will provide a written response with explanation to the applicant.[14]

Sanctions

Decree 98/2013/ND-CP, dated August 28, 2013 (“Decree 98/2013”), lists sanctions for administrative violations by insurance enterprises. They include violation of rules that relate to the establishment and operation of insurance companies. Decree 98/2013 includes sanctions on unlawful management and operation of insurance companies; unlawful competition, including providing false information or advertising which damages policy holders; competing for customers by interfering with other enterprises or intimidating their employees; and agreeing to restrict competition. The fine for violating these rules, with respect to individuals is up to VND100 million (US$4,400), and is up to VND200 million (US$8,800) with respect to an enterprise. The Decree also provides a set of penalties for failing to adhere to financial requirements, such as compulsory reserve requirements. A decision to sanction an insurance enterprise for administrative violations will expire one year after the date it is issued. Some sanctions depend on the specific administrative violation, such as: (i) revocation of the certificate of one or more insurance agents; (ii) suspension of an insurance enterprise’s operation; and (iii) confiscation of means used to commit an administrative violation.[15]

II. Principles of Insurance Law in Vietnam

Meaning of Insurance

The LOIB defines insurance as a profit-oriented activity carried out by an insurance enterprise, in which the enterprise assumes certain defined risks of the insured in return for an insurance premium paid by the insurance buyer to secure the enterprise’s indemnity to the insured.[16] It contemplates payment to a beneficiary of a benefit according to terms of a policy concluded between the enterprise and the buyer upon the occurrence of an agreed-upon insured event.

Insurance-related regulations, including the LOIB, do not specifically define the terms “insurance” or “assumption of risk”. Under the LOIB, however, an “insured event” is an objective event defined by the parties or stipulated by law. Upon the occurrence of the insured event, the enterprise must pay to the beneficiary or indemnify the insured the contractual sum that represents the value of the insurance policy.

The Insurance policy

1.  General

An insurance policy is an agreement reached between the insurance buyer and an insurance enterprise under which the enterprise must pay insured amounts to the beneficiary or in which it agrees to indemnify the insured upon the occurrence of an insured event, provided that the insurance buyer maintains the premium payment obligations.[17]

There are two basic forms of an insurance policy: compulsory and non-compulsory. The MOF has legislated form policy terms that enterprises must use for each kind of compulsory insurance, including life insurance and accident insurance. Insurance enterprises that provide non-compulsory products enjoy more flexibility in the structure and content of their contracts. They must nevertheless register their terms and premium tables with the MOF.

An insurance policy must be made in writing and must include certain information: the name and address of the insurance enterprise, the insurance buyer, and the insured or the beneficiary; the subject matter of the insurance policy; the value of the insured property or the sum insured; the scope of coverage, and applicable terms and conditions; exclusions; duration of coverage; premium rates and acceptable payment methods; time limit for payment of the insurance benefits or indemnity and acceptable payment methods; rules for dispute settlement; and the date on which the contract is executed.[18] From October 15, 2015, an insurance enterprise must register the sample of its life insurance policy and general transaction conditions with the local Competition Authority.[19]

Insurance legislation, particularly recent regulations, has emphasized the responsibility of the insurance enterprise to create clear policies that buyers can understand, as well as the duty of agents who market these policies to ensure that the consumer understands the terms.[20] Currently, insurance policies are mainly regulated by the LOIB. Additionally, civil contracts, including insurance policies are regulated by the Civil Code[21].

2.  The Parties

The LOIB mentions three parties to an insurance policy: the insurance enterprise, the insurance buyer and the insured.[22] However, it attaches contractual obligations to only two of these parties: the insurance buyer and the insurance enterprise.[23] The insurance enterprise receives premium payments and assumes the obligation to pay to the beneficiary or to indemnify the insured the insured amount upon the occurrence of the insured event. The insurance buyer pays premiums and provides information related to the insured object.

The definition of an “insured” in the various laws is slightly inconsistent. In general, the term “insured” refers to an insurance buyer when he is also the insured party. In that case, he is the party obligated to pay the premiums, disclose information, and prevent damages, and is entitled to be indemnified or to receive the insurance proceeds.

3.  Insurable Interests

A valid insurance policy requires an “insurable interest”.[24] Different insurance policies have different insurable interests. According to the LOIB, there are six types of insurance policy: life insurance policy, property insurance policy, civil liabilities insurance policy, health insurance policy, retirement insurance policy and marine insurance policy.

4.  Formation

In order to comply with the LOIB, the policy must be in writing.[25] The policy is not effective until it is executed. The LOIB, however, provides that liability will arise if there is evidence the parties have accepted the policy, for example, the insurance enterprise issues a written acceptance of the application for insurance, and the insurance buyers have started to pay premiums.[26] The parties may agree otherwise in the policy. Similarly, an application by the insured for an extension, renewal, or amendment of the policy must be in writing.

An insurance buyer is permitted to assign the policy, subject to the terms of the policy. Assignment of an insurance policy by the buyer becomes valid only when a written notice of assignment is given to the insurance enterprise, and the enterprise provides written notice of acceptance of the assignment. The LOIB permits an exception when the assignment is undertaken in accordance with international trade practices.[27] This general provision on the assignability of the insurance policy may create ambiguity around the assignment of life insurance policies. There is no guidance on when a life insurance policy can be assigned, conditions of assignment, involvement of the insured in the assignment, or obligation of the insurance buyer post-assignment.

5.  Void and Voidable

The LOIB states that an insurance policy is deemed to be void if:

• The insurance buyer has no insurable interest upon entering into the contract;
• The subject matter of the insurance policy no longer exists;
• The insurance buyer knows an insured event has occurred at the time the parties enter into the contract; or
• The insurance buyer or the insurance enterprise was deceived at the time the parties entered into the contract.[28]

A civil contract such as an insurance policy may be declared to be only partially void, in which case the remaining provisions remain valid. When a civil contract is declared void, the parties must be restored to their original positions. They must return to each other the assets they have received as a result of the agreement. If they cannot return the assets, they must pay the equivalent cash value instead.[29]

In addition to the circumstances outlined in the LOIB, while the Civil Code does not explicitly distinguish between a contract that is void and one that is voidable, a civil contract can be declared void by a court or competent government authority if any of the following conditions apply:[30]

1. The parties to the contract lack the capacity to take part in civil acts.
2. The parties have not acted voluntarily.
3. There is a deception or mistake relating to one or more of the essential elements of the contract. In a civil transaction, a deception or mistake relates to an intentional act of a party with the purpose of misleading the other party with regard to the identity of the parties, the nature of the subject matter, or the contents of the transaction.
4. The purpose and contents of the contract are contrary to law and social morality.
5. The form of the contract does not adhere to the requirement that certain types of contracts, including insurance policies, be made in writing. Either party may file a request to the court not to declare such contract void if one or both parties have completed at least two-thirds of their contractual obligations, and if non-adherence of the contract is limited to the required form, notarization or certification of the contract.

The statute of limitations restricting the time during which parties may request that the court declare a civil contract void is two years. The starting date of this two-year period varies depending on why a civil contract is to be declared void. If the parties fail to request a court to declare a civil contract void within the appropriate two-year period, the civil contract will continue to be binding.  However, if any contract is illegal or cruelly immoral, the court can declare it void at any time. No statute of limitation applies under those circumstances.

Disclosure Obligations and Misrepresentation

The insured must disclose all information related to the insured object or person, as requested by the insurance enterprise.[31]  If the beneficiary intentionally provides false information to the insurance enterprise, the insurer may unilaterally terminate the contract and withhold all payments on it.

An insurance enterprise has the right unilaterally to terminate an insurance contract while still retaining the premiums paid through the date of termination n in case the buyer: (i) fails to notify the insurance enterprise of a change in circumstances which may increase the enterprise’s risk exposure, or (ii) fails to disclose all information related to the insured object or person to the insurance enterprise. Similarly, where an insurance enterprise intentionally provides untruthful information to a buyer to persuade it to enter into an insurance policy, the buyer may unilaterally suspend performance of the contract. The insurance enterprise must compensate the buyer for any damage caused by its misrepresentations.[32]

If the buyer does not fulfill his obligation to disclose the any new circumstances that may increase the risk or create additional liabilities for the insurance enterprise, the enterprise may unilaterally cancel the contract and refund the prorated balance of the premium due to the buyer upon termination. The enterprise may deduct an amount as compensation for reasonable expenses.[33]

The buyer has a similar right of unilateral termination if the insurance enterprise has intentionally provided untruthful information in the context of his purchase of the policy. The buyer may claim from the enterprise compensation for damages resulting from the misrepresentation.[34]

The LOIB does not require that the misrepresentation concern a material fact. In the case of misrepresentation on the part of the enterprise, although the law does not require the buyer to have relied upon the misrepresentation in his decision to purchase the policy in order for him to terminate the contract, he must show that the misrepresentation caused him damages in order for him to receive compensation for his claim.

Finally, changes in the risk factors related to the insured object may lead to an increase in the premiums the buyer must pay. If the buyer refuses to accept and pay the increased premium, the insurance enterprise may unilaterally terminate the performance of the insurance policy after providing written notice to the buyer. Similarly, if the buyer notifies the enterprise of a change leading to a reduced risk to the enterprise, but the enterprise refuses to reduce the premiums accordingly, the buyer may terminate his insurance policy. He must provide written notice to the enterprise of his decision to terminate.[35]

Prevention of Loss

The insurance enterprise has the right to request, and the insurance buyer has the obligation to take, appropriate measures to prevent and mitigate loss.[36] Furthermore, the insurance enterprise can implement measures to ensure the safety of the insured. Decree 73/2016 provides the followings measures to prevent and mitigate loss:[37]

• Educate the insured about the prevention and mitigation of loss;
• Provide facilities and equipment to prevent and mitigate loss;
• Construct works or infrastructure to prevent and mitigate loss; and
• Engage other organizations or individuals to supervise the prevention and mitigation of loss.

Article 46.3 of Decree 73/2016 provides that “The cost of prevention and mitigation of loss shall be calculated based on the premiums paid as per instruction from the MOF”. However, it is unclear who pays such costs.

Termination

An insurance policy may terminate for the following reasons, and with the following legal consequences:[38]

1. The Civil Code provides for termination under its general rules on civil contracts. If the contract terminates under the rules of the Civil Code, the legal consequences of termination occur as provided by the Civil Code.[39]
2. If the insurance buyer no longer has an insurable interest at stake, the contract will terminate. The enterprise must refund the buyer’s insurance premium prorated to the amount of time remaining in the insurance policy, after deducting the reasonable costs and expenses it has incurred.
3. If the insurance buyer fails to make full or timely payment of insurance premiums, the contract will terminate. The buyer must still make full payment of any premium due as of the date on which the contract terminates, unless the policy is one for personal insurance.
4. If the insurance buyer fails to pay the full amount of the premium within the grace period set in the contract, the contract will terminate. The insurance enterprise must still indemnify the insured if the insured event occurs within the grace period. The buyer must still pay premiums on personal insurance to the end of the grace period. This grace period does not exist for non-personal insurance.

Subrogation

The LOIB permits subrogation except in the case of personal insurance, such as life insurance, labor accident insurance, and medical insurance.[40] After paying the insurance proceeds to the insured, the enterprise has the right to claim compensation from responsible third parties for the amount it has paid out to the insured. The insured must provide the enterprise with all of the necessary information and evidence so that the enterprise can exercise its legal right of subrogation.

Recognition of the insurance enterprise’s right to collect compensation is authorized by a letter from the insured authorizing the insurance enterprise to collect from third parties. When a responsible third party has paid damages to the insured, but the damages are lower than the value of the insurance policy, the insurance enterprise need only pay the insured the difference between the policy value and the damages already paid by the third party. The LOIB does not address the enterprise’s right of refusal, but it does note that if the insured declines to authorize the enterprise, or waives, fails to reserve, or otherwise loses the right to request third party compensation, the insurance enterprise may deduct the indemnity payable to the insured.[41]

III. Types of Insurance

The LOIB categorizes insurance as life insurance, non-life insurance, health insurance and some other specific types of insurance.[42] Life insurance includes whole life, term insurance, last survivor insurance, combined insurance, annuity insurance, endowment insurance, and retirement insurance. Non-life insurance covers property insurance and damage insurance; insurance for cargo transported by road, sea, inland waterway, railway and air; aviation insurance; automobile insurance; fire and explosion insurance; vessel hull and vessel owners’ civil liability insurance; liability insurance; credit and financial risk insurance; business loss insurance; and agricultural insurance. Health insurance includes accident insurance, medical insurance; and health care insurance.

The various kinds of insurance in these categories can also be characterized as compulsory or non-compulsory. Compulsory insurance is a kind of insurance for which the law sets the policy terms, premiums and minimum insurance sum. It includes motor vehicle liability insurance, professional liability insurance for legal consultants and insurance brokerages, and fire and explosion insurance, as well as insurance for projects that involve public safety issues, such as construction projects and oil and gas projects.[43] Non-compulsory insurance is not required to use identical, legislated contract terms.

Personal Accident Insurance

Personal accident insurance includes policies that insure human lives, health, and safety.[44] This field of insurance includes personal accident insurance, accident and medical insurance for students, passenger accident insurance, travel insurance, and medical insurance.

Specific injuries covered by a policy will be compensated at a percentage of the total insurance sum stated in the policy. The percentage varies according to the type of injury.[45] The MOF has published a Table of Compensation Rates for Injuries to help set the percentages.[46]

Life Insurance

The market for life insurance continues to grow in both number of participants and premium volume and revenue. Both domestic and foreign invested insurance enterprises offer life insurance products.

The LOIB provides for whole life pure endowment, term endowment, and annuity life insurance, among others. Enterprises have also packaged life insurance with other products by providing comprehensive insurance coverage that includes a main insurance product, such as whole life pure endowment, plus a subordinate insurance product, such as accident insurance or dependent support.

Vehicle Insurance

Vehicle liability insurance is compulsory, and driving a vehicle without a valid insurance certificate can result in both a fine and temporary revocation of the vehicle title by the police. Vehicle insurance, governed by Decree 103/2008/ND-CP dated September 16, 2008, which was amended by Decree 214/2013/ND-CP dated December 20, 2013, covers loss of and damage to the vehicle, and legal liability to third parties for bodily injury and property damage. Because vehicle insurance is compulsory, the policy must adhere to the terms and premium rates fixed by the MOF.

Oil and Gas Insurance

Although there are no separate regulations that apply to oil and gas insurance, the LOIB does refer to insurance coverage for general risks in the oil and gas industry. Risks in this industry, such as the risk of oil spills, are of particular concern in Vietnam, since the nation’s coastline is more than 3,000km long and supports a thriving tourism industry.

Marine Insurance

The LOIB applies to all types of insurance; however, with regard to marine insurance policies, the section of the Maritime Law governing marine insurance policies also applies.[47] The Maritime Law covers contracts of insurance for maritime perils, which mean perils incidental to navigation at sea.[48] Marine insurance covers losses where the insured object is a material interest measurable in money, including but not limited to hull, cargo, freight, ship chartering or purchasing costs, anticipated cargo benefits, builder’s risk, commission, general average sacrifice, liability to third parties, and liens secured by cargo. If the peril covered by the policy has already occurred, or if the possibility of its occurrence does not actually exist, the marine insurance policy is automatically invalidated.[49] The insurance enterprise then retains the right to the premiums, and need not indemnify unless it has been made known to the insurance enterprise that the peril has already occurred or the possibility of its occurrence does not exist before the insurance policy has not been signed.

The Maritime Law recognizes two parties to an insurance policy: the insurance enterprise and the insurance buyer, who pays the premiums and must provide information relating to the insured object or person. The insurance policy may be entered into between the insurance enterprise and the insurance buyer for the benefit of a third party, who is entitled to request that the insurance policy be issued in its name. On receiving the policy, the third party has all the rights provided for in the policy. In addition, from that time, all the obligations of the insured pass to the third party, except for the obligation to pay the premiums. If the third party is not aware of the policy, no obligations will arise. The Maritime Law does not state which party has the right to terminate the insurance policy. However, under the Civil Code provisions on general civil contracts, the parties cannot amend or cancel a contract for the benefit of a third party unless the third party gives consent.[50] Regulations on marine insurance do not specify the circumstances under which a contract is void or voidable. Therefore, the Civil Code’s default rules on civil contract apply as discussed in B.5.

Fire and Explosion Insurance

Investors prioritize ways to safeguard their investments. On April 15, 2018, Decree No. 23/2018/ND-CP (“Decree 23/2018”), which was first introduced on February 23, 2018, came into effect and replaces all previous regulations on compulsory fire and explosion insurance, namely Decree No. 130/2006/ND-CP dated November 8, 2006, (“Decree 130/2006”), Joint Circular No. 214/2013/TTLT – BTC – BCA, dated December 31, 2013 (“Joint Circular 214/2013”), and Decree 46/2012, dated May 22, 2012, amending some provisions of Decree 130/2006 (“Decree 46/2012”) . Certain businesses must purchase fire and explosion insurance from an insurance enterprise permitted to conduct business in Vietnam.[51] Decree 23/2018 describes categories of assets that must be covered by the policy, including housing and buildings, equipment and machinery, and all other goods and assets that can be given a monetary value.[52] The minimum insured sum protected by the policy must be the total market value of the assets.[53] An insurance enterprise has the right to refuse to sell a policy to a buyer in certain circumstances.[54]

Decree 23/2018 also lists circumstances in which the insurer is not obligated to indemnify the insured.[55] For example, if the loss or damage originates from a deliberate breach of the regulations on fire prevention or from fire or explosion caused by criminal conduct, the insurance enterprise need not pay. Certain kinds of assets are also excluded from coverage, including loss or damage caused to computer databases and programs, precious metals, manuscripts, drawings and design data. Unlike Decree 130/2006, Decree 23/2018 does not have any provision for the possibility of avoiding statutory exclusion by specifically including these items in the insurance policy, or by negotiating an additional insurance policy to cover excluded items.

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance is mandatory for certain professions, such as for firms and individuals that provide legal, medical, and architectural services. Insurance brokerage enterprises must also purchase professional liability insurance.[56]

The Law on Notarization, which took effect on January 1, 2015, provides that notary offices must buy professional liability insurance for their notaries.[57] Similarly, Article 40 of the Law on Lawyers 2007 requires that law firms have professional liability insurance for their lawyers.

Investment Linked Insurance      

Circular 52/2016/TT-BTC dated March 21, 2016 (“Circular 52/2016”), which came into effect on June 1, 2016, replaces Decision 96/2007/QD-BTC, dated November 23, 2007, permits insurance enterprises to provide universal life insurance products.[58] These products include an insurance component and an investment component.[59] Buyers enjoy some flexibility in selecting a premium. A universal life fund is raised from premiums paid from these policies. The policy must include an option allowing the buyer to change the percentage of premiums to be distributed into the fund.[60]

The Circular sets further conditions for an insurance enterprise that wishes to provide universal life insurance.[61] These conditions are additional to the basic conditions that an insurance enterprise must meet. That is, it must have a solvency margin of at least VND100 billion (US$ 4.4 million) more than the minimum solvency margin. It must have an information technology system in place to manage the investment fund. It must also obtain the MOF’s approval for its universal life insurance products. The Circular has very specific requirements regarding the documentation that an insurance enterprise must provide their prospective customers.[62] This includes a requirement that certain documents must be posted on the firm’s website. The firm must also provide information regarding its investment policy and objectives, and must explain the benefits, risks, and charges.

Finally, the insurance enterprise must provide an annual report to the buyer that summarizes the status of the insurance policy as well as the results of the universal life fund, including details of investment benefits that have accrued to the buyers.[63]

Circular 135/2012/TT-BTC dated August 15, 2012, permits unit-linked insurance products (“Circular 135/2012”). By “unit-linked insurance” we mean a life insurance product that requires the establishment of unit-linked funds.[64] A unit-linked fund is formed from insurance fees paid by buyers for such insurance policies. Insurance enterprises enter into unit-linked insurance to cover their risks in relation to the insurance premiums and to invest their capital. There are caps on the amount a fund may invest in certain varieties of investments. A unit-linked fund may invest in no more than 10% of the total value of outstanding securities of a corporation. It may invest no more than 20% of its total asset value in outstanding corporate securities, no more than 10% of its total asset value in real estate, and no more than 30% of its total asset value in a group of companies with mutual ownership.

A unit-linked fund is not permitted to invest in the securities of securities investment companies established and operating in Vietnam. The assets of unit-linked funds are not permitted to invest directly in real estate, gold, silver, other precious metals, or precious stones.[65]

An insurance enterprise must set up at least two unit-linked funds with different investment goals for each unit-linked investment product it offers.[66] The enterprise must ensure that the aggregate value of its unit-linked funds is not less than VND100 billion.[67]

Supplying a unit-linked insurance product must be approved by the MOF.