Bancassurance -- a Valuable Tool for Developing Insurance in Emerging Markets

Bancassurance is the process of using a bank's customer relationships to sell life and non-life insurance products. In some developed countries it has had a dramatic impact on developing sales volumes, attaining market shares in excess of 50 percent in life and more than 10 percent in non-life. By contrast, in other developed countries it has had much lower impact. Its strategic benefits to developing countries are wide ranging. This paper discusses the potential of Bancassurance to contribute to the growth and the stability that both life and non-life insurance products can bring to developing countries. The details of how some approaches work better than others, and how regulation and consumer protection issues can impact such development, are reviewed here, together with a discussion of regulatory policy issues and recommendations for best practice. The paper provides a detailed study of the operation of Bancassurance in a major developed market (France). This is contrasted with a further study in a developing market (Mexico). A short summary draws together the key implications for developing countries