Insurance Through Bank Agents: How Can It Be Done?

Abstract:

Insurance sourcing through bank agents is becoming increasingly popular. Though the reason for such enthusiasm can be understood, the challenges cannot be overlooked either. In this note, we detail the product and channel planning challenges and strategies to address them. Appreciating the complexities of the bank agent channel is pivotal to the success of the channel. Though this note suggests one perspective on how to adopt the channel for insurance inclusion, it is by no means the only one.  The future will show us how different approaches to bank agency-insurance inclusion perform. The model of channel diffusion outlined in this note may unearth the challenges of managing inter-channel conflict. Implementing organisations' management of these risks will impact the viability of this model in long run.

Tags: Staff training, Financial products, Bank agent, Channel planning strategy, Retail banks , Microinsurance, Product development, Mobile banking, Agent networks, Insurance officer, Product segmentation, Channel specialisation, BN124, BN 124, MicroSave