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Insurance (constituency) facts for kids

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The Insurance functional constituency is a special voting area in Hong Kong. It helps choose members for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, which is like Hong Kong's parliament. This constituency was first set up in 1998.

Before 1998, it was part of a bigger group called 'Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Services'. This change happened in 1995 when Chris Patten, who was the Governor of Hong Kong at the time, added new special voting areas. Today, this constituency is only for a small group of about 144 voters who work as insurers.

What is a Functional Constituency?

A functional constituency is a special way of voting in Hong Kong. Instead of everyone in a certain area voting, only people who work in specific jobs or industries can vote. It's like having a special election just for doctors, teachers, or, in this case, people in the insurance business.

Why are they used?

These constituencies are designed to make sure that different important parts of society and the economy have a voice in the government. This means that people with special knowledge about certain industries can help make laws that affect their field.

The Legislative Council of Hong Kong

The Legislative Council, often called LegCo, is the main law-making body in Hong Kong. Its job is to create, change, and cancel laws. It also approves the government's budget and asks questions to government officials.

How LegCo members are chosen

Members of LegCo are chosen in two main ways:

  • Geographical Constituencies: These are like regular elections where people vote based on where they live.
  • Functional Constituencies: These are the special elections we talked about, where people vote based on their job or industry.

History of the Insurance Constituency

The Insurance functional constituency has an interesting history. It started as part of a larger group and then became its own special voting area.

From a larger group

Before 1998, the insurance industry was grouped with finance and real estate services. This bigger group was called the 'Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Services' constituency. It was created in 1995.

Becoming its own constituency

In 1998, the 'Insurance' part became a separate functional constituency. This meant that people working in insurance had their own specific voting area, separate from finance and real estate. This change made the voting group much smaller and more focused.

Who Can Vote in the Insurance Constituency?

The number of people who can vote in the Insurance constituency is very small. It is limited to only 144 voters.

What is an insurer?

An insurer is a person or company that provides insurance. Insurance is a way to protect yourself or your property from financial loss. For example, if you have car insurance, the insurance company helps pay for repairs if your car gets damaged. The voters in this constituency are licensed professionals or companies involved in providing insurance services.

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