BEIJING — Chinese insurers continued to see double-digit growth in combined premium income in the first quarter this year, latest official data showed.

Premium income topped 1.63 trillion yuan (about $238.8 billion) in the first three months, up 15.9 percent year-on-year, according to data from the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Premium income from life insurance business went up 18 percent during the period, while that from property insurance increased 7 percent.

The steady income growth came after authorities tightened regulations last year to fend off financial risks in the world’s second-biggest insurance market.

The sector has shown a stronger capacity to forestall risks as its overall leverage has gradually dropped and business structure improved, the regulator said in December last year.