EFFECT OF BANCASSURANCE ON PERFORMANCE OF INSURANCE COMPANIES IN KENYA

Abstract

The most significant changes in the economic services segment have been growth of bancassurance which denotes supply of insurance products through effective process of banking channels. With the liberalization of the assurance sector and opposition is tougher than ever before, companies are increasingly trying to come out with better innovations to stay in front. Most insurance firms in Kenya have established bancassurance to be an attractive and often gainful commendation to their core business. There is great prospect for expansion and increase of bancassurance in Kenya; however, bancassurance in Kenya is pretty low. The main objective of this study was to establish the effect of bancassurance on performance of insurance companies in Kenya. This study sought to achieve the following objectives; to establish the effect of products or services type on performance of insurance companies in Kenya; to assess the effect of administration-economies of scale on performance of insurance companies in Kenya; to examine how customer lifecycle management of scale affect performance of insurance companies in Kenya and to determine the effect of sales promotion tool on performance of insurance companies in Kenya. This study was anchored on innovation theory, modern portfolio theory and the dynamic capabilities theory. A descriptive survey research design was applied in this study. The study intended to target 506 management staff who were drawn from the 55 listed insurance companies in Kenya. This study intended to collect data from all the 112 management staff of insurance companies in

Kenya. The study used stratified random sampling technique to select the respondents for the sample size. Primary data was obtained using self-administered questionnaires. The study instruments were distributed among the targeted respondents using various points of reference like the managers of departments. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) computer software. The qualitative data was coded thematically and then analyzed statistically. Content analysis was used for data that is qualitative nature or aspect of the data collected from the open ended questions. The information was displayed by use of tables, graphs and in prose-form. The study revealed that products or services type affect performance of insurance companies in Kenya greatly. The study further showed that performance of Insurance companies in Kenya is boosted by enhanced value and distribution channel optimization very greatly. The study found that the customers trust and convenience enhanced the performance of Insurance companies in Kenya very greatly. The study found that sales promotion tool affected performance of insurance companies in Kenya greatly. The study concluded that Products or Services Type had the greatest effect on the performance of insurance companies in Kenya, followed by Customer Lifecycle Management, then Sales

Promotion Tool and finally Administration- Economies of Scale had the least effect. The

study recommends that the insurance

companies should ensure that customer- orientation through understanding the

market and directing the resources of the company towards achieving the desires and the needs of the customers and measuring the ability to provide a value for the customer. The study further recommends that insurance companies’ managers should weigh carefully their marketing promotion strategies and align them to their objectives adapting a suitable mix of the promotion tools.