EFFECT OF INSURANCE COST ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY RENT IN URBAN GHANA

Abstract

This study assessed the insurance cost impact on annual rent per square foot of retail and office properties in Ghana within the CBDs of Tamale, Bolgatanga and Wa. Using the trans-log hedonic model, the insured and uninsured comparable office and retail properties and their rental values were identified. Through T-Test, the difference between the insured and uninsured rental values was assessed and the extent of their differences was also estimated. The results indicated that in Tamale, 15.2% of the 79 retail and 27.5% of the 51 office properties identified were insured. Again, within the Bolgatanga CBD, 20.5% of the 39 retail and 53.8% of the 13 office properties were also insured while 18.8% of the 16 retail and 44.4% of the office properties identified in the Wa CBD were insured. Statistically, the ages and sizes of these properties were not significantly different. The study further revealed that the rents of the insured office and retail properties were significantly higher than those of the uninsured counterparts in all the three CBDs at a variant extents. The research provides some insight into the determinants of rents for commercial properties in Ghana. Property insurance is recommended to commercial property owners in these regions.