SOCIAL PROTECTION AND THE DEMAND FOR PRIVATE INSURANCE IN GHANA

Abstract

The study sought an insight into the activities of private life insurance companies in Ghana the kinds of products they offer and the extent to which they meet the social security needs of their customers and their implication for social protection. It also seeks to examine customers’ perception of the impact of having life insurance policy. The research design was explorative in nature and primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Four insurance companies and their customers and sampled and studied namely. State Insurance Company (SIC), life, Vanguard life, Starlife and Capital Express insurance companies. Fifteen (15) staff from each company and 200 customers were purposefully sampled. A Five-point Likert Scale was used to determine the extent of consumers’ awareness of life insurance products, customer satisfaction of the products and the factors taken into consideration in formulating life insurance products. The main finding revealed that customers had adequate knowledge on some life insurance products. Customers were also satisfied with some aspects of the services of the insurance companies. It also established that the age of customer; level of risk of business or job of customer; current or past medical record of customers; and income level of customer were the main factors considered by the insurance companies in formulating new products. Customers perceived a positive impact of life insurance policy in the event of their death and during retirement but not during working life. An inventory of the life insurance products was also taken. Among others, the study recommends that life insurance companies should adopt effective promotional strategies to increase the awareness level of their products among consumers.