The Life Insurance Industry

Major challenges for life insurance companies have been posed by an unprecedented wave of mergers and acquisitions in the insurance industry and the emergence of non-traditional competitors such as banks, mutual fund companies and investment advisory firms. This is the first book to analyze the determinants of firm performance in the life insurance industry by identifying the `best practices' employed by leading insurers to succeed in this dynamic business environment. The book draws upon data from insurer financial statements as well as upon an extensive survey of life insurer management practices and strategic choices in distribution systems, information technology, mergers and acquisitions, human resources and financial strategies. Generic strategies such as cost leadership, customer focus, and product differentiation are analyzed as well as strategic practices specific to the insurance industry. Best practices are identified by measuring the economic efficiency of insurers and by comparing firms across the industry. Both cost and revenue efficiency are measured relative to best practice efficient frontiers consisting of the industry's dominant life insurance firms. Economies of scale and the effects of mergers and acquisitions on efficiency are also analyzed. Financial strategies are examined with specific reference to pricing policy, valuation of assets and liabilities, and the current state of firm-level risk management systems. The benchmarks established are the result of extensive fieldwork that identifies key financial risks and methodologies to both measure and manage them at the firm level. The results discussed in the book indicate that firm performance is significantly correlated with management practices and strategic choices. Thus, life insurers can improve profitability by adopting optimal combinations of strategies. The book contains important new material on the effects of strategic choices in product distribution systems, information technology, mergers and acquisitions, human resources, and financial risk management policies. In the area of efficiency, the methodology provides a new approach for identifying peer groups of insurers and measuring the performance of individual insurers relative to their peer group. On the topics of risk and pricing, new insights are offered relative to current methodologies and in regard to areas where improvement is clearly warranted. The book concludes with an analysis of the future opportunities and challenges in the life insurance industry facing managers, and the strategic options available to them to cope with these changes.

In the complex, highly developed U.S. life insurance industry, regulation emphasizes prudence and solvency and does not inhibit competition and innovation. But because there are no satisfactory measures of efficiency and profitability, it is difficult to assess industry performance.

An incisive look at the war for market share in the Asian life insurance market Although the life insurance industry in Asia has emerged from the financial crisis stronger than ever, it has not escaped unchanged. As the general focus of insurance companies across the continent moves towards profitability beyond growth, tightening regulatory measures, shifts in consumer preferences, and risk tolerance, battle lines have been drawn between local incumbents, attackers, and foreign players. Life Insurance in Asia: Winning in the Next Decade, Second Edition looks at the ways in which small local agencies and multinational companies alike are seizing control of as much of the market as they can by aggressively recruiting new agents, leveraging new channels, and selling new products to cash in on the explosive Asian markets. Thoroughly revised and updated, this new edition offers a comprehensive introduction to the booming Asian life insurance markets and outlines exactly what it takes to capture the opportunities that are emerging. Drawing on the research and experience of the McKinsey Asia financial services team, it includes everything you need to know about the battle for the life insurance market in Asia. Looks at how China and India are becoming increasingly important players on the international life insurance scene Goes behind the scenes of the Asian life insurance industry and the contentious battle for market share Outlines the steps to successfully entering, and prospering, in the Asian market The life insurance industry in Asia is changing like never before. What the future holds, no one knows, but with Life Insurance in Asia in hand, you'll have a clear idea of the factions in play and the rules of the game.

This book examines the challenges for the life insurance sector in Europe arising from new technologies, socio-cultural and demographic trends, and the financial crisis. It presents theoretical and applied research in all areas related to life insurance products and markets, and explores future determinants of the insurance industry’s development by highlighting novel solutions in insurance supervision and trends in consumer protection. Drawing on their academic and practical expertise, the contributors identify problems relating to risk analysis and evaluation, demographic challenges, consumer protection, product distribution, mortality risk modeling, applications of life insurance in contemporary pension systems, financial stability and solvency of life insurers. They also examine the impact of population aging on life insurance markets and the role of digitalization. Lastly, based on an analysis of early experiences with the implementation of the Solvency II system, the book provides policy recommendations for the development of life insurance in Europe.

This book traces the development and analyses the performance of life insurance industry in India, since inception of this sector, using different business indicators over the years. It discusses the evolution and changing features of the Indian insurance industry in 3 phases: phase I from 1818 to 1956, phase II from 1956 to 2000 (known as the nationalisation period) and phase III post 2000 (called the post reform period). The book also measures the relative efficiency and productivity of the life insurance industry in India for the post-reform period, by employing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Despite the fact that the life insurance sector recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% in terms of total premiums and 21% in terms of new business premium collections during the post reform period, the insurers continue to grapple with the issue of profitability. Against this background, the book presents results on the factors determining profitability of the life insurance companies using measures of efficiency and competition. By helping regulatory authorities determine the future course of action in the context of entry of foreign insurers and also in establishing a level playing field, the book has important policy implications.