BEIJING—China’s insurance premiums grew 13.8% in 2009, to 1.11 trillion yuan ($163 billion), the China Insurance Regulatory Commission’s Web site reported.

2009 was the first time that insurance premiums reached the 1 trillion yuan mark, CIRC said Monday.

China’s insurance premiums from property/casualty insurance grew 23% in 2009, to 287.6 billion yuan ($42.1 billion), compared with 2008. The percentage of premiums from property/casualty business was 25.8% in 2009 compared with 28.4% in 2008.

Claims paid by property/casualty insurers increased 37.3% in 2009 to 157.6 billion yuan ($23.1 billion).