Strategies that influence the uptake of life assurance policies in Kenya

Abstract

Despite life assurance having steadily registered reasonable growth between 2000 and 2009, the penetration levels as represented by the ratio of Gross Direct Premiums to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stands at 0.78%, which in comparative terms is still lower than other developing countries like South Africa and India with life assurance penetration ratios of 11.56% and 3.00% respectively (AKI Report, 2009). This research, therefore, sought to answer the question, "What are the Strategies that Influence the Uptake of Life Assurance Policies in Kenya?" The specific objectives were to establish whether development of new distribution channels affects the uptake of life policies in Kenya, to determine if development of new products improves on the uptake of life policies, to examine the effects of training on the performance of life agents with regards to their selling of life policies, to ascertain whether the incentives given to life agents motivate them to sell more life policies, and to evaluate the effect of advertising on the uptake of life policies. The population in this study comprised of efe Life Assurance Company, licensed to underwrite life assurance business; and licensed by the commissioner of insurance to transact long term insurance business. It involved the evaluation of 108 efe Life agents and 5 efe Life top management, and 44 efe Life staff. Probability and non-probability sampling were used. Primary and Secondary data collection techniques were utilized. Primary data collection included the use of questionnaires, while secondary data collection involved the use of annual agents' production reports from efe Life. Both quantitative and qualitative approach of data analysis were used. It involved analysis and presentation of the closed ended and open ended questions in the questionnaire through capturing the common answers in the open-ended questions based on their commonality through content analysis.