Nearly 40 percent of families in urban China have bought insurance and the market is expected to expand further this year, according to a recent sample survey.

Among the insurance policy holders, most have bought pension, life and medical insurance, while a smaller proportion have bought family property or car insurance.

The survey found that in 1999 only 3.8 percent of the respondents bought private property insurance and 3.2 percent bought car insurance. In contrast, 4.5 percent of urban residents bought life insurance. 4.0 percent bought medical insurance and 3.8 pension insurance.

The poll was conducted by the Beijing-based China Mainland Marketing Research Company and 13 other information and consulting service firms in 14 major Chinese cities at the end of 1999.

It was carried out among 40 million people in Beijing, Dalian, Changchun, Harbin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an and Lanzhou.

The survey found that the insurance policy holders have a higher level of education and wealth. About 47.5 percent have college degrees or above, and the richer a person is, the more likely he or she will take an insurance policy.

According to the survey, 25.7 percent of the respondents plan to buy insurance this year, 11.1 percent higher than last year. Family property, medical care and accident insurance are expected to increase considerably this year.