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Single- versus Multi-Channel Distribution Strategies in the German Life Insurance Market: A Cost and Profit Efficiency Analysis

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  • Lucinda Trigo Gamarra

    () (University of Rostock)

Abstract

Until its liberalisation in 1994 exclusive agents dominated the distribution of products in the German life insurance industry. Since then, their importance has been declining for the benefit of both distribution via direct distribution channel and independent agents. However, the market shares of specialized direct and independent agent insurers have remained small, while multi-channel insurers increasingly incorporate direct and independent distribution channels, and represent the dominant distribution strategy. The aim of this paper is twofold: First, it analyses the performance of single and multi-channel distribution firms in the German life insurance. Thus, we are able to explain the development and the coexistence of the industries' distribution systems. Our study contributes to research on coexistence of different distribution systems in insurance industry which had been limited to the comparison of exclusive versus independent agent insurers so far. Second, our paper gives insight into cost and profit efficiency levels of German life insurance firms for the period 1997-2005, and delivers information about scale economies in the German life insurance industry. Applying an empirical framework developed by Berger et al. (1997) we estimate cost and profit efficiency for three groups of life insurance firms differing in their distribution systems: multichannel insurers, direct insurers, and independent agent insurers. Non-parametric DEA is used to estimate efficiencies for a sample of German life insurers for the years 1997-2005. Testing a set of hypothesis, we find economic evidence for the coexistence of the different distribution systems which is the absence of comparative performance advantages of specialised insurers. Further, we find evidence for scale economies in the German life insurance industry.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by University of Rostock, Institute of Economics, Germany in its series Thuenen-Series of Applied Economic Theory with number 81.

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Length: 57 pages
Date of creation: 2007
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:ros:wpaper:81

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Keywords: Insurance markets; distribution systems; efficiency analysis;

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References

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  1. KERSTENS, Kristiaan & VANDEN EECKAUT, Philippe, 1997. "Estimating returns to scale using nonparametric deterministic technologies : a new method based on goodness-of-fit," CORE Discussion Papers 1997013, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
  2. Lucinda Trigo Gamarra, 2007. "Does the Product Quality Hypothesis Hold True? - Service Quality Differences between Independent and Exclusive Insurance Agents," Thuenen-Series of Applied Economic Theory 76, University of Rostock, Institute of Economics, Germany.
  3. Banker, Rajiv D., 1984. "Estimating most productive scale size using data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 35-44, July.
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  7. Andrew M. Yuengert, 1993. "The measurement of efficiency in life insurance estimates of a mixed normal-gamma error model," Research Paper 9308, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
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Cited by:
  1. Martina Eckardt & Solvig Räthke-Döppner, 2010. "The Quality of Insurance Intermediary Services-Empirical Evidence for Germany," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 77(3), pages 667-701.

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