IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbfina/v50y2015icp19-33.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The role of life insurance in an emerging economy: Human capital protection, assets allocation and social interaction

Author

Listed:
  • Shi, Xiaojun
  • Wang, Hung-Jen
  • Xing, Chunbing

Abstract

In this paper, we provide micro-econometric evidence on the determinants of life insurance demand in China, the largest emerging market in the world. We employ the China Household Income Project (CHIP) dataset for the year 2002 in the analysis. The timing is ideal, because of the nature of the less well developed capital markets and social security systems in China in 2002, which sets a suitable stage to study the insurance demand behavior of emerging markets. The results indicate that both the human capital protection motive and the asset allocation motive are important in explaining the purchase of life insurance in China. In addition, we present three empirical regularities: (1) the positive correlation between the returns to human capital and the returns to market portfolio decrease the demand for life insurance; (2) both the current wealth and future income of a household exert curvilinear impacts on life insurance demand; (3) the breadth of a households social connections has substantial impacts on life insurance demand.

Suggested Citation

  • Shi, Xiaojun & Wang, Hung-Jen & Xing, Chunbing, 2015. "The role of life insurance in an emerging economy: Human capital protection, assets allocation and social interaction," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 19-33.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:50:y:2015:i:c:p:19-33
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2014.08.028
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378426614003239
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2014.08.028?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fleisher, Belton & Li, Haizheng & Zhao, Min Qiang, 2010. "Human capital, economic growth, and regional inequality in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 215-231, July.
    2. Bernheim, B Douglas, 1991. "How Strong Are Bequest Motives? Evidence Based on Estimates of the Demand for Life Insurance and Annuities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(5), pages 899-927, October.
    3. Gustafsson,Björn A. & Shi,Li & Sicular,Terry (ed.), 2008. "Inequality and Public Policy in China," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521870450.
    4. Audra J. Bowlus & Chris Robinson, 2012. "Human Capital Prices, Productivity, and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(7), pages 3483-3515, December.
    5. Yijia Lin & Martin F. Grace, 2007. "Household Life Cycle Protection: Life Insurance Holdings, Financial Vulnerability, and Portfolio Implications," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 74(1), pages 141-173, March.
    6. Card, David, 1999. "The causal effect of education on earnings," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 30, pages 1801-1863, Elsevier.
    7. Douglas Holtz-Eakin & John W. R. Phillips & Harvey S. Rosen, 2001. "Estate Taxes, Life Insurance, And Small Business," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(1), pages 52-63, February.
    8. Fischer, Stanley, 1973. "A Life Cycle Model of Life Insurance Purchases," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 14(1), pages 132-152, February.
    9. Hongbin Cai & Yuyu Chen & Li-An Zhou, 2010. "Income and Consumption Inequality in Urban China: 1992-2003," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(3), pages 385-413, April.
    10. Li, Hongbin & Meng, Lingsheng & Wang, Qian & Zhou, Li-An, 2008. "Political connections, financing and firm performance: Evidence from Chinese private firms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 283-299, October.
    11. Heckman, James J. & Lochner, Lance J. & Todd, Petra E., 2006. "Earnings Functions, Rates of Return and Treatment Effects: The Mincer Equation and Beyond," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 7, pages 307-458, Elsevier.
    12. Fitzgerald, John M, 1989. "The Taste for Bequests and Well-Being of Widows: A Model of Life Insurance Demand by Married Couples," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(2), pages 206-214, May.
    13. Campbell, Ritchie A, 1980. "The Demand for Life Insurance: An Application of the Economics of Uncertainty," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 35(5), pages 1155-1172, December.
    14. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    15. Fortune, Peter, 1973. "A Theory of Optimal Life Insurance: Development and Tests," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 28(3), pages 587-600, June.
    16. Mayers, David & Smith, Clifford W, Jr, 1983. "The Interdependence of Individual Portfolio Decisions and the Demand for Insurance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(2), pages 304-311, April.
    17. Menahem E. Yaari, 1965. "Uncertain Lifetime, Life Insurance, and the Theory of the Consumer," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 32(2), pages 137-150.
    18. Harrison Hong & Jeffrey D. Kubik & Jeremy C. Stein, 2004. "Social Interaction and Stock-Market Participation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 59(1), pages 137-163, February.
    19. Tienyu Hwang & Brian Greenford, 2005. "A Cross‐Section Analysis of the Determinants of Life Insurance Consumption in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 8(1), pages 103-125, March.
    20. Yoram Ben-Porath, 1967. "The Production of Human Capital and the Life Cycle of Earnings," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 75, pages 352-352.
    21. Huang, Huaxiong & Milevsky, Moshe A., 2008. "Portfolio choice and mortality-contingent claims: The general HARA case," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 2444-2452, November.
    22. Pliska, Stanley R. & Ye, Jinchun, 2007. "Optimal life insurance purchase and consumption/investment under uncertain lifetime," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 1307-1319, May.
    23. Kakwani, Nanak & Wagstaff, Adam & van Doorslaer, Eddy, 1997. "Socioeconomic inequalities in health: Measurement, computation, and statistical inference," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 87-103, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Niu, Geng & Yu, Li & Fan, Gang-Zhi & Zhang, Donghao, 2019. "Corporate fraud, risk avoidance, and housing investment in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 18-33.
    2. Chu-Shiu Li & Gene C. Lai & Saruultuya Tsendsuren & Richard J. Butler & Chwen-Chi Liu, 2023. "Cognitive abilities and life insurance holdings: evidence from 16 European countries," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 48(1), pages 110-166, March.
    3. Ling Tian & Haisong Dong, 2022. "Family Life Cycle, Asset Portfolio, and Commercial Health Insurance Demand in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Srbinoski Bojan & Strozzi Fernanda & Poposki Klime & Born Patricia H., 2020. "Trends in Life Insurance Demand and Lapse Literature," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 14(2), pages 1-46, July.
    5. Saruultuya Tsendsuren & Chu-Shiu Li & Sheng-Chang Peng & Wing-Keung Wong, 2018. "The Effects of Health Status on Life Insurance Holdings in 16 European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-30, September.
    6. Rajat Deb & Deep Deb & Kiran Sankar Chakraborty, 2022. "Spousal roles in life insurance demands," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 49(1), pages 3-11, March.
    7. Wang, Hongyang & Zhang, Dayong & Guariglia, Alessandra & Fan, Gang-Zhi, 2021. "‘Growing out of the growing pain’: Financial literacy and life insurance demand in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiang Cheng & Lu Yu, 2019. "Life and health insurance consumption in China: demographic and environmental risks," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 44(1), pages 67-101, January.
    2. Emily Norman Zietz, 2003. "An Examination of the Demand for Life Insurance," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 6(2), pages 159-191, September.
    3. Kwak, Minsuk & Shin, Yong Hyun & Choi, U Jin, 2011. "Optimal investment and consumption decision of a family with life insurance," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 176-188, March.
    4. J. François Outreville, 2011. "The relationship between insurance growth and economic development - 80 empirical papers for a review of the literature," ICER Working Papers 12-2011, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    5. J. François Outreville, 2013. "The Relationship Between Insurance and Economic Development: 85 Empirical Papers for a Review of the Literature," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 16(1), pages 71-122, March.
    6. Lee, Hangsuck & Ryu, Doojin & Son, Jihoon, 2022. "Insurance-adjusted valuation, decision making, and capital return," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    7. Romano, Richard E. & Tampieri, Alessandro, 2016. "Arts vs engineering: Choosing consumption of and investment in education," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 493-510.
    8. Belzil, Christian, 2007. "The return to schooling in structural dynamic models: a survey," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(5), pages 1059-1105, July.
    9. Bojan Srbinoski & Klime Poposki & Patricia H. Born & Valter Lazzari, 2021. "Life insurance demand and borrowing constraints," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 24(1), pages 37-69, March.
    10. Srbinoski Bojan & Strozzi Fernanda & Poposki Klime & Born Patricia H., 2020. "Trends in Life Insurance Demand and Lapse Literature," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 14(2), pages 1-46, July.
    11. Gene M. Grossman & Elhanan Helpman & Ezra Oberfield & Thomas Sampson, 2017. "The Productivity Slowdown and the Declining Labor Share: A Neoclassical Exploration," NBER Working Papers 23853, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Ning Wang, 2023. "A dynamic analysis of the demand for life insurance during the 2008 financial crisis: evidence from the panel Survey of Consumer Finances," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 48(4), pages 733-759, October.
    13. Alhassan, Abdul Latif & Biekpe, Nicholas, 2016. "Determinants of life insurance consumption in Africa," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 17-27.
    14. Sánchez-Romero, Miguel & d׳Albis, Hippolyte & Prskawetz, Alexia, 2016. "Education, lifetime labor supply, and longevity improvements," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 118-141.
    15. Han, Nan-Wei & Hung, Mao-Wei, 2017. "Optimal consumption, portfolio, and life insurance policies under interest rate and inflation risks," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 54-67.
    16. repec:dau:papers:123456789/5369 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Sisira Kumara NARADDA GAMAGE, & Li LIN, & Ihtisham ul HAQ, 2016. "Economic & Demographic Characterictics, Social Capital And Demand For Life Insurance: Evidence From Central Region Of Sri Lanka," EcoForum, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Public Administration - Economy, Business Administration and Tourism Department., vol. 5(2), pages 1-9, July.
    18. Barry Mulholland & Michael Finke & Sandra Huston, 2016. "Understanding the Shift in Demand for Cash Value Life Insurance," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 19(1), pages 7-36, March.
    19. Roger Ibbotson & Peng Chen & Moshe Milevsky & Xingnong Zhu, 2005. "Human Capital, Asset Allocation, and Life Insurance," Yale School of Management Working Papers amz2513, Yale School of Management, revised 01 Nov 2008.
    20. Subir Sen, 2008. "An Analysis of Life Insurance Demand Determinants for Selected Asian Economies and India," Finance Working Papers 22512, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    21. Subir Sen & S Madheswaran, 2013. "Regional determinants of life insurance consumption: evidence from selected Asian economies," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 27(2), pages 86-103, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life insurance; Human capital; Assets allocation; Social connections;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:50:y:2015:i:c:p:19-33. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbf .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.