China's insurance industry is likely to grow at a slower pace and face lower profit margins next year because fierce competition, industry observers have said.

"Insurers are no longer just focusing on pure growth. Many players are becoming more profit oriented, with a higher awareness of risk management and willingness to diversify into new product areas," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Connie Wong. "And that should mean more sustainable growth in the longer term."

Fitch Ratings' analysts also believe that the life insurers' increasing product diversity and greater emphasis on margin improvement, instead of market share, will support quality growth in the sector in 2014.