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Bequest Motives and Determinants of Micro Life Insurance in Sri Lanka

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  • Arun, Thankom
  • Bendig, Mirko
  • Arun, Shoba

Abstract

This paper emphasizes bequest motives by evaluating participation patterns in micro life insurance against insurance demand and supply side factors. Based on household survey data from Sri Lanka, it presents evidence on the determinants of micro life insurance participation of low-income households, using probit and tobit models. The results provide evidence that micro life insurance is positively correlated with measures of bequest motives such as the number of children or dependents. Besides, better off households are less excluded from micro life insurance markets than their poorer counterparts. The study finds a convincing need for the microinsurance sector to be more responsive to the needs of the poor, with a key role in providing financial education to understand the need for microinsurance.

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  • Arun, Thankom & Bendig, Mirko & Arun, Shoba, 2012. "Bequest Motives and Determinants of Micro Life Insurance in Sri Lanka," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1700-1711.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:40:y:2012:i:8:p:1700-1711
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.04.010
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    4. Biener, Christian & Eling, Martin & Schmit, Joan T., 2014. "Regulation in Microinsurance Markets: Principles, Practice, and Directions for Future Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 21-40.
    5. Martin Eling & Shailee Pradhan & Joan T Schmit, 2014. "The Determinants of Microinsurance Demand," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 39(2), pages 224-263, April.
    6. Alfiero, Simona & Battisti, Enrico & Ηadjielias, Elias, 2022. "Black box technology, usage-based insurance, and prediction of purchase behavior: Evidence from the auto insurance sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    7. Thomas Gries & Ha van Dung, 2014. "Household Savings and Productive Capital Formation in Rural Vietnam: Insurance vs. Social Network," Working Papers CIE 81, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    8. Ginger Turner & Farah Said & Uzma Afzal, 2014. "Microinsurance Demand After a Rare Flood Event: Evidence From a Field Experiment in Pakistan," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 39(2), pages 201-223, April.
    9. Kunal Rajesh Lahoti & Shivani Hanji & Pratik Kamble & Kavita Vemuri, 2023. "Impact of Loss-Framing and Risk Attitudes on Insurance Purchase: Insights from a Game-like Interface Study," Papers 2310.13300, arXiv.org.
    10. Tan Andrew K. G. & Yen Steven T. & Hasan Abdul Rahman & Muhamed Kamarudin, 2014. "Demand for Life Insurance in Malaysia: An Ethnic Comparison Using Household Expenditure Survey Data," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 8(2), pages 1-26, July.
    11. Mohamed Keinan Hassan & Jane Gathenya & Mike Iravo, 2017. "Moderating Effect of Index Based Livestock Insurance on Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Performance of Livestock Projects in North Eastern Kenya," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(3), pages 99-116, March.
    12. Mohammed Ahmar Uddin, 2017. "Microinsurance in India: Insurance literacy and demand," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 13(2), pages 182-191, May.
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