Current Status and Development Trends of Bancassurance Model in the World


2.2.2. Professional model

This is a model in which investments and other complex insurance products are sold through product specialists, often employees or representatives of member insurance companies. Salespeople at banks find potential customers, and insurance specialists then contact the customers to complete the transaction.

This process does not require highly qualified staff, but it is costly because it has to go through both bank sales staff and insurance specialists. The professional model may not meet the needs of all customers because the insurance sales process is prolonged, especially when customers want to buy a simple insurance product that can be transacted right at the counter.

2.2.3. Planning and financial model

The financial planning model provides each customer and potential customer with a financial plan that addresses all financial issues and possible risks. This gives customers a more comprehensive and in-depth view than just simple statistics. Bancassurance companies, by capturing information about current customers as well as their future financial needs, can provide advice and help customers in the most effective way.

For a bank to effectively use the financial planning model, first of all, the bank's sales staff must be trained in how to evaluate customers and how to approach customers appropriately. Based on the needs of customers, bank staff will give appropriate advice.


about the type of product that suits the current and future needs of customers, or advise customers to insurance companies.

Each distribution model is effective in certain situations. However, the choice of which distribution model to use depends on its compatibility with the bank’s customer base and the insurance company’s strategic goals. But according to statistics, the financial-planning model is the most effective way to attract customers.

III- CURRENT STATUS AND DEVELOPMENT TRENDS OF BANCASSURANCE MODEL IN THE WORLD

In recent times, Bancassurance has achieved certain successes in countries with developed insurance markets. The governments of these countries have created favorable legal frameworks to allow insurance banks to have more advantages in the financial market.

According to a study by the American Insurance Bankers Association, on “Banks in Insurance” shows that 96% of current banks design insurance products and believe that insurance business will increase market share for banks and about 40% of banks emphasize that Bancassurance will add significant value.

3.1. European market

As mentioned in the previous section, the Bancassurance model today originated in Europe (in France), where retail banks used to sell life and non-life insurance products as agents. Currently, the Bancassurance model operates in different forms, specifically:

In France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium, Bancassurance operates in the following forms:


- Bancassurance companies are partly or wholly owned by banks.

- Bancassurance companies have an exclusive distribution agreement with the parent bank.

- Bancassurance products are fully integrated into the bank's products and sold by branch staff along with the bank's products.

In Germany and the UK, Bancassurance tends to be less integrated.

- Wholly owned Bancassurance companies and joint ventures exist, however banks often operate through fully distributed arrangements.

- Distribution agreements are usually on an exclusive basis in Germany, but in the UK multilateral distribution is developing.

- Life insurance and life insurance products are not usually sold directly by branch staff but are instead referred to insurance specialists. In Germany, this is completely inappropriate because Bancassurance products here tend to be more complex than in southern European countries. In the UK, this is explained by regulations that some investment products can only be sold by qualified financial advisors.

In the early 80s, about 60-80% of life insurance and life insurance products were sold directly by branch staff and agents. However, today, this distribution channel for insurance products has decreased and gradually shifted to a new distribution channel - Bancassurance.

Bancassurance market share is increasing, estimated at 25% - 65% in life insurance and about 5 - 10% in non-life insurance. More than half


Life insurance premium revenue generated through the banking system is no longer uncommon in many countries.

Chart 1: Bancassurance in the life insurance market in some European countries


0.37


07


16.04


8.6


Personal insurance premium (unit:

million euros)

19.


Germany


N


Belgium


Portugal


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Current Status and Development Trends of Bancassurance Model in the World

250

218.79

200

150

125.9

100

63.27

6

50

0

English French Italian

[1] Source: Milliman report – 2008 data.

Bancassurance is a major distribution channel in Europe, accounting for over 60% of individual life insurance premiums in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and over 50% in Belgium, and is underdeveloped in the UK and Germany (Bancassurance accounts for only over 20% of the life insurance market share).

Bancassurance has generated a significant volume of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in Europe since 2007. Both traditional insurers and Bancassurance insurers have been developing their Bancassurance activities by acquiring 50% stakes in Bancassurance companies that


[1] According to Milliman's report: “European Bancassurance benchmark” (August 2008).


Previously 100% owned by banks. By acquiring Bancassurance joint ventures, traditional insurance companies gain access to distribution networks and customer databases; allowing them to gain market share quickly.

Nowadays, traditional insurance companies tend to expand into Bancassurance. The reasons are:

- To diversify their distribution strategy and gain market share in countries where they are present. A typical example is AXA's acquisition of 50% of Montepaschi Vita in Italy in 2007; in Spain, Zurich Financial Services acquired 50% of Caixa Sabadell's life insurance subsidiary Caixa Sabadell Vida in 2008.

- To internationalize: Groupama acquired 100% of the shares of OTP Garancia in Hungary in 2007.

The average productivity of insurance branches varies considerably across countries. In typical Southern European Bancassurance models, Bancassurance companies are owned (in whole or in part) by the bank and have an exclusive distribution agreement with the parent bank. From there, Bancassurance companies have access to the branch network and customer base. The life insurance premium rate per branch is a good indicator of the commercial performance of the branch network. Milliman’s analysis shows that this indicator varies across countries.

Chart 2: Average life insurance premiums per Bancassurance branch in selected European countries * (million euros).



3

2.51

2.5

2.38

2

1.73

1.68

1.5


1

0.45

0.5

0.32

0

France

Belgium

IDEA

Portugal

Spain


Virtue


(*) Not including postal delivery.

Source: Milliman – 2006 data for France, Belgium, Spain, Germany; 2007 for Portugal.

This difference is due to: First, the general level of development of the life insurance market and the banking industry is relatively different between these countries. For example, in Spain, the life insurance market is less developed than in other European markets. On the other hand, Spain is the market with the highest proportion of bank branches in Europe.

Table 1: Life insurance market share and branch network in France and Spain.


Nation

Life Insurance Rate (Fee)

Insurance/person in USD)

Bank branch ratio (number)

number of branches/1000 population)

Spain

651.0

0.97

France

2922.5

0.43

(*) Not including postal delivery.

Source: Sigma Swiss Re, Banque de France and Banco de Espana – 2006 data.


Second, due to the nature of the life insurance business. In France and Belgium, individual life insurance products are essentially tax-advantaged due to the medium-term savings, benefiting from tax exemptions on interest and capital gains when policies are issued in the short term.

This means that life insurance products are similar in nature to investment or savings products offered by banks, making it easier for bank advisors to sell insurance products. Furthermore, tax benefits enable bank advisors to encourage customers to move their money from savings products to other life insurance products.

However, life insurance in Italy does not enjoy any tax incentives for any form of savings products. Therefore, the amount of life insurance products sold by banks depends largely on the preferential commercial policies of each bank.

Table 2: Percentage of insurance distribution through Bancassurance channel in some European markets.


BHPNT

Life Insurance


B

Agency

Lip

gender

Other *

B

Agency

Lip

gender

Other *

Older brother

10.0

4.0

54.0

32.0

20.3

10.0

65.0

5.0

France

9.0

35.0

18.0

38.0

64.0

7.0

12.0

17.0

Virtue

12.0

57.0

22.0

9.0

24.8

27.1

39.4

8.7

IDEA

1.7

84.2

7.6

6.5

59.0

19.9

9.4

11.7

Spain

7.1

39.1

28.3

35.1

25.2

71.8

15.4

5.4

Belgium

6.1

10.1

65.6

18.2

48.0

3.2

26.5

22.3

Portugal

10.0

60.7

16.7

12.6

88.3

6.9

1.3

3.5

Poland

0.6

58.2

15.7

25.5

14.4

39.7

4.3

41.6

TNK

10.0

67.5

7.8

14.7

23.0

30.1

0.8

46.2

* Including direct sales channel


Source: Swiss Re, sigma No 5/2007. Country data for 2005, excluding France and Italy for 2006.

Experience in Europe shows that tax-advantaged insurance products with a focus on savings accumulation can succeed in the banking channel in certain cases. Insurance products such as pure term insurance are rarely innovative, and they are investment products in the form of pure insurance products. These products tend to compete with bank or investment products rather than other insurance products.

The success of Bancassurance in European countries to date and the strong growth expected in the future of Bancassurance are guaranteed by investment banks, especially customers - who consider and make decisions to choose a service model that brings many benefits not only to themselves but also to banks, insurance companies, and the financial services market in general.

3.2. Market in Asia

In Asia, the Bancassurance model was born later because the financial market was not yet highly developed and was still constrained by many rigid policies. Basic life and non-life products were distributed through professional insurance agents.

However, the insurance industry in Asia is developing very quickly. To achieve that success, we must mention the traditional professional agent force that has penetrated the market very quickly and effectively, they have spread to every corner of the places, areas to sell and consult. The traditional distribution channel through agents has so far maintained the leading role in the life insurance business in

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