< Back to all news

The Changing Face of Life Insurance Distribution

14/09/2020

The topic of ‘Life Insurance Distribution’ quite possibly conjures up stereotyped images of an overly cheerful and persistent door-to-door salesman in your customer’s minds and may even bring about feelings of dread and confusion. Like it or not, the adage remains true: Life Insurance is a product that is sold, not bought.  


In the past: Face-to-face meetings as norm

Life Insurance Distribution via face-to-face meetings

The door-to-door salesman image may only come to the minds of your older customers, the baby-boomers and perhaps Gen-Xers, for whom this was far more of a reality. Sales made in face-to-face meetings with customers was the method of Life Insurance distribution. Agents cultivated personal relationships, aided by telephonic initiations and meetings in-person, where the complexities of life insurance products were explained, customer queries could be immediately addressed and concerns allayed.  


Today: Changing customer needs accelerating digital adoption

Digital adoption of life insurance distribution is becoming a norm

Source: TDI PoV: Industry Warning – digital tipping point is approaching insurers faster than expect

It goes without saying that we are living in times of rapid change. Technological innovations and the landscape these create are changing what customers want, and how they want it. Customers want to make purchases online from the comfort of their own home, and are no longer as comfortable speaking on the telephone as they once were. Customers want interactions that are quick, simple, and with minimal disruption to their lives.

By now, insurance can be distributed online, via website forms and robo-advisors. This progression from human agents and time-consuming engagement with customers, to simple, speedy, online sales, all done with a few clicks, was primarily driven by innovative InsurTechs and led to a huge disruption in the industry. Additionally, the impact of COVID-19 increased consumer expectations further. According to TDI, the tipping point of digital adoption has now been reached, thus reaching not only early adopters, but already the early majority of customers.


Do you want to offer digital insurance? Read our article about “Digital transformation in Insurance – Essential Insurance technology you need to know“.

Life insurance, however, remains complex. The range of different life insurance types, and differences within each type, is of course only the start of it. The number of variables that can be involved when determining premiums, adds a whole new level of complexity, and that is before one even considers product customisation. Today’s customer not only wants a clean and clear interaction, they also want a personalised product, and the products are being adapted accordingly. As a result of these complex developments and accelerated customer demands, the human agent still plays a key role in the sale of life insurance.

As a result, hybrid model of life insurance distribution has risen, where digital leads, marketplaces and comparison engines are involved early in the process, to be replaced further down the line by an actual person who can take over where the algorithms stop, and a personal relationship is picked up, to answer questions and provide guidance through the process.  

Insurance agent working fully digitally

Sales agents themselves are of course also operating in the digital world, with their own drive towards less paper work and more integrated online processes in order to fulfill customer expectations. Pen and ink client signatures are being replaced with voice-recorded approvals and electronic signing, as agents interact ‘live’, but not necessarily in direct contact with customers. As this sort of functionality becomes available, it further extends agent-reach for efficient life insurance distribution. An e-signature makes life easier for an online customer, but it also allows agents to reach entire demographics, not online at all, but rural and previously too far from the corporate infrastructure and the paper-based processes they supported, to be reached. Life insurance distribution to deeply rural populations has become possible. Agents armed with digital devices that can record images and e-signatures, and allow ‘forms’ to be filled in for later upload to databases in the cloud, are reaching new markets and driving further changes in the process. 
 

Outlook: What can we expect in the future?

Changes are driving changes. As technology evolves and changes the world, customers, insurance products, agents – and life insurance distribution – evolve alongside it. A year ago, we may have considered our biggest unknown to be how far technological capability will reach, and how our lives will continue to change in the digital era.

Today, we are experiencing the unexpected reality of social distancing and seeing how the cultural and economic worlds are shifting rapidly beneath our feet. The uptake of digital operations has accelerated across industries. We are more remote, and yet more connected, via a multitude of digital umbilicals – across our business and personal lives. Life insurance sales via digital channels appear to have kicked up with the arrival of COVID-19, as people faced their own mortality and face-to-face meetings became nearly impossible. Digital distribution of life insurance is becoming the new normal. It’s hard to be sure of exactly how it will change, but what we can be sure of is that it will change. It’s difficult to prepare for changes we can’t be sure of, but what we can prepare for is change itself. Fortunately, embracing the digital future is embracing the responsiveness, adaptability, and lightness of foot needed to keep your distribution channels current.


Do you want to learn more about the future of insurance? Have a look at our article about future-proof insurance and software and trends!

Sources:

https://www.the-digital-insurer.com/tdi_pov_papers/tdi-pov-industry-warning-digital-tipping-point-is-approaching-insurers-faster-than-expected/

Simply digitise & distribute Insurance with Briisk

Automate the complete insurance value chain, at a lower cost and higher speed than legacy systems with the Briisk ITP.
Get demo

Related Articles

17/11/2023
Embedded Insurance: A Game Changer for the Insurance Industry 

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, industries constantly seek innovative ways to enhance their services, and the insurance sector is no exception. Embedded insurance is emerging as a potential game-changer, offering significant benefits to customers and companies. It is not just a trend but a transformation that has already begun to reshape the insurance landscape. What […]

10/10/2023
Enhancing Underwriting Management with Data Analytics: Opportunities, Challenges, and Tools 

In today’s fast-paced world, data analytics has become an invaluable tool for businesses across various industries. Underwriting management plays a pivotal role in the insurance sector, and data analytics is transforming how insurers make informed decisions and streamline their operations.  Opportunities in Data Analytics for Underwriting Management:  Challenges in Data Analytics for Underwriting Management:  Data […]

22/09/2023
Transforming Insurance Claims Processing Through Technology

In an era of digital innovation, the insurance industry is undergoing a profound transformation because of the introduction of innovative technology. Exploring the impact of technology on insurance claims processing, highlighting the evolution of an industry, and adapting to the demands of the digital age. The Traditional Insurance Claims Process: A time-consuming challenge Historically, insurance […]

11/09/2023
The Types of Insurance and Why We Need Them

Insurance is fundamental to our lives, offering protection and security when the unexpected strikes. This article will explore the different types of insurance and their vital roles. We will also delve into insurance history, including the Great Fire of London and the influential figure often credited as the father of insurance, Elizur Wright. Additionally, we will […]

24/08/2023
How the Insurance Industry is adapting

The insurance industry, often referred to as the backbone of financial security, serves as a safeguard against uncertainties and risks that life throws our way. As we examine the current state of the insurance industry, it becomes evident how important insurance really is. The industry is undergoing a transformative period due to emerging technologies and […]

18/07/2023
The benefits of a cloud-based insurance solution

Insurance companies face the challenging task of effectively managing massive amounts of data while striving to enhance operational efficiency and provide exceptional customer experiences in today’s fast-paced and data-driven world. An effective response to this problem is a cloud-based platform. Interestingly, the insurance sector has seen a notable shift in perception as insurers and their […]

05/07/2023
Insurance Technology: Empowering Intermediaries

Insurance intermediaries connect customers with the right products in the rapidly evolving business landscape. However, intermediaries face numerous challenges, including time-consuming administrative tasks and the need to stay productive in a highly competitive market. Fortunately, introducing insurance technology has started a paradigm shift, empowering intermediaries to automate processes, increase productivity, and ultimately boost business revenue. […]

28/04/2023
How Technology is Disrupting the Underwriting Management Industry in South Africa

The insurance industry has traditionally been known for its slow, manual processes. But with the advent of new technologies, there is a growing trend towards digitisation and automation in the industry. In South Africa, underwriting management is undergoing a digital transformation, and new technology in the market disrupts the way things are done. Automated Underwriting […]

17/03/2023
How payment technology is changing insurance distribution in 2023

What is payment technology?  Payment technology is a system that digitally coordinates financial transactions between two parties using APIs. This is referred to as an electronic payment which can be facilitated via Payment Service Providers (PSPs).  What is a PSP?  “Payment service providers are an important part of the payment ecosystem. For any business that […]

06/05/2022
Allianz and Sanlam join forces to form an African insurance powerhouse

Allianz, one of the world’s largest insurers with a century-long foothold in Africa, has joined forces with Sanlam, the continent’s largest non-bank financial services company. The alliance will enable Allianz and Sanlam to combine their existing and future operations in 29 African countries, becoming the continent’s largest non-bank financial services provider. By merging Sanlam’s expertise […]

Get demo

Let us give you an overview of the Briisk ITP and how it can improve your business processes.
GET DEMO
+44 1923 750310
sales@briisk.io
Briisk Limited, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX, United Kingdom
+91 8008 360077
sales@briisk.io
Briisk Limited, 23, Gokul Brindavanam, Bachupally, Hyderabad, India-500043
+27 83 321 9369
sales@briisk.io
Briisk Limited, 2 Fir Street, Observatory 1st Floor, Block B, North Park, Black River Park, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
(C) Briisk 2022. All Rights Reserved. 
Sitemap // Privacy Policy // T&Cs 
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram