China Life Insurance Co,. Ltd., the nation's largest life insurer, raked in 158.6 billion yuan (US$21.1 billion) in premiums in the first nine months of 2007.

The figure, which is to be audited, was obtained in accordance with China's new accounting standard, the company said in a statement in Friday's Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The number represented a 6.65-percent increase over figures of last year's same period.

China Life received 15.3 billion yuan in premiums in September, 34.2 percent higher from the previous month, Friday's China Securities Journal reported.

On Thursday Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Ltd., China's second largest life insurer, announced that its premiums in the first three quarters amounted to 76.02 billion yuan (US$10.1 billion).

The total included 59.7 billion yuan for life insurance, 16.3 billion yuan for property insurance, 1.09 million yuan for health insurance and 51.54 million yuan for endowment insurance.

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2007)