Key Points

• Mergers and acquisitions offer both insurers and technology leaders opportunities to collaborate and capture greater market share
• Acquiring or investing in InsurTech disruptors enables traditional insurance companies to address the needs of evolving digital customers

The advantages of higher insurance penetration and wider risk dispersal will outweigh the disadvantages of industry consolidation
according to the 20^th PwC CEO Survey,¹ the insurance industry has seen the maximum disruption among all sectors. Changing customer behaviors, advancing technologies and over-regulation have taken a toll on insurers leaving them grappling with a less-than-desirable growth rate. The increasing competition from InsurTech companies has also posed a direct challenge to traditional insurance players.
However, the landscape is witnessing a slow, but steady change. Insurers realize that they have more to gain by collaborating with these technology disruptors than considering them competition. This is evidenced by the increasing number of partnerships, funding and acquisitions² of InsurTechs by traditional insurance players in the last few years.
Even as the industry gears up to chase aggressive revenue growth, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and partnerships present a viable opportunity for inorganic growth. M&As provide insurers a chance to exit non-core businesses and re-define business models to promote more innovation for deeper digital transformations. Such initiatives also offer an opportunity to establish a stronger brand,³ optimize underperforming portfolios, acquire technology capabilities and gain access to mature markets.
Amidst these strong drivers, the one uncertainty involving deals has been around tax and regulation although it is not expected to last long. With more clarity anticipated in the months ahead through better tax reforms and softening regulations, the insurance industry’s growth initiatives are likely to pick up steam once again.
In this context, let us explore the sweeping changes that are currently underway in the insurance sector.



Meeting Evolving Customer Expectations

Addressing the needs of evolving digital customers is at the forefront of most insurers’ agenda today. As customers become increasingly demanding, inefficient processes, a high number of intermediaries and outdated technology systems come in the way of meeting their expectations. This is also the gap that smart InsurTechs were able to exploit by harnessing technology to get closer to customers.
For traditional insurers that want to quickly gain new capabilities to grow, acquiring or investing in these InsurTechs would make better sense than trying to develop these capabilities internally. A case in point is the acquisition of Meshify, an Internet of Things (IoT) startup, by HSB to roll out IoT-based insurance products.
As companies add more digital specialists to their talent through InsurTech acquisitions or partnerships, they will be able to meet the demands of their customers better. Practices such as instant application processing, paperless claims, on-the-spot settlements and hyper-personalized services will become the norm. Newer products and services designed for the emerging sharing economy such as ridesharing insurance will gain more traction.

Impact of Industry Consolidation

As the M&A momentum picks up again, the insurance industry worldwide will see further consolidation. This can lead to two possibilities. With less competition, more collaborations and decreased margin pressures, insurers will finally have more bandwidth to re-focus on acquiring new customers. Microinsurance and specialty products such as crop insurance, motor insurance and health insurance are likely to grow in volume as companies cater to a wide and growing range of risk profiles and preferences.
Economic recovery, clarity in regulatory measures and government policies will also hopefully increase penetration rates,⁴ especially in developing and underdeveloped economies. This will benefit both consumers and insurance companies alike. Better risk coverage will offset the absence of a comprehensive social protection plan while providing the insurance sector with a new growth platform.
The other possibility is the increase in premiums due to the absence of pricing pressures and competitive forces. This will, however, need to be kept in check by governments and regulatory bodies through broadened anti-trust regulations or enforced rate settings.
The introduction of public insurance exchanges can also go a long way in keeping prices under control by providing greater visibility to consumers. Empowering customers to compare costs and benefits at a single glance will foster healthy competition. Customers can potentially combine their buying power to bargain for improved benefits as well in exchange for higher premiums.⁵ The introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the U.S. to cover essential health benefits with capped healthcare expenses is an example of such a marketplace.
Overall, the advantages of higher insurance penetration and wider risk dispersal are likely to far outweigh any disadvantages stemming from industry consolidation.

Collaboration Across the Value Chain

Technology disruption has already had a transforming effect on the insurance value chain through the introduction of automation and robotics for streamlining back-office processes. Companies such as Knip have replaced traditional brokers with their digital counterparts to provide a summary view of policies and premiums.
M&As offer further opportunity for both insurers and technology leaders to collaborate and capture more market share. Take, for instance, the case of a leading European insurance company. In the last one year, the insurer has acquired or partnered with multiple technology startups including a bike insurer, an online rental car insurance platform, and a car communications specialist to obtain enhanced capabilities.
Many insurers have even set up strategic capital venture arms⁶ to invest in innovative technology companies. Tech giants such as Google and Ali Baba have backed multiple insurance startups demonstrating their interest to capture more of the market. It won’t be too long before these players also look to acquire regulated businesses to establish a firmer foothold in the industry.
The expected disaggregation of insurance processes is likely to lead to more consolidation as companies look to invest, partner or acquire to minimize the risk of losing their current market positions. Insurance companies can use their consolidated standing and scale to establish a better connect with their customers. And customers will reap the benefits in the form of increased visibility and personalized services.
M&A offers conventional insurers a reliable way to address their limitations while building upon existing strengths. Many insurers may opt to pursue these possibilities through venture funds, equity investments and partnerships to test the waters before jumping in. However, as digital developments and lifestyle changes open up possibilities for companies to enhance their profiles to become asset managers and risk advisors, insurers will have to aggressively start pursuing all possible growth opportunities to stay relevant.

Insurance Policies All Working Adults Need to Have

Devoting 40 to 50 years of your life to making a living and building a career is a long journey with many twists and turns. Many people may not see the importance of health insurance, for example, until they start a family; however, preparing for bumps along the way is a crucial step to protect yourself and your loved ones from financial hardship. It also sets the foundation for a comfortable retirement.
Your income, regardless of if you are the breadwinner for your household or not, is the result of several dedicated hours. It is probably also how you intend to fund your passions or plan for the future. The last thing anyone wants is for an unforeseen illness to jeopardize your vision for the future or set loved ones back financially. To protect against these possibilities, you may want to invest in protection to ensure that your needs are covered fully.
In general, when considering private insurance options, working adults with or without children should consider solutions to cover healthcare, retirement, and end-of-life expenses. Although the reasons why you would need life insurance will differ for each person, products in these categories will give working adults the peace of mind that they will be provided for in times of need.
Health coverage
The rising cost of medical care in Bangladesh is contributing to the need for insurance to ensure that a health scare is not financially devastating. The importance of health insurance cannot be overstated. This is not just because illnesses are unpredictable, but also because the financial impact on you and your family can be significant. Health riders, which can be purchased by adults under the age of 60, provides cash for hospital stays and to fight critical illnesses including stroke, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and some neurological issues. This protection can be secured as an add-on to a basic life insurance policy or as part of a comprehensive plan. Some plans will even pay back the full premiums paid during the policy term if you remain healthy and do not have a need to use the coverage. For these reasons, health insurance is especially important because of how quickly illnesses can drain savings while the individual is unable to work.
Retirement planning
After completing a long career, it is natural to want to enjoy your golden years to the fullest. With the average life expectancy of Bangladeshis up to 72 years old, more people need to be prepared to cover living expenses after their working years and not rely on anyone financially. Retirement or pension insurance plans are savings vehicles, which allow people to prepare for a stable future that delivers steady income to cover expenses. Some plans even offer additional benefits, such as accrued reversionary and terminal bonuses, and include a guaranteed payout in case of death before retirement.
Life insurance


Is life insurance a good idea? It certainly is if your goal is to protect your loved ones from financial hardship in the event of your untimely death or a permanent disability during peak working years. Term insurance plans can guarantee a payout to your beneficiary, and policies tend to last for a specified period. This ensures that your family is protected until children are grown and financially independent, or until household debts are paid off.
More robust saving and investment plans like MetLife’s (https://www.metlife.com.bd/solutions/savings-investments/) enable policyholders to secure their family’s future for the long term.
This can take the form of permanent life or endowment life plans, which help you save for life events in addition to providing the typical insurance benefits in the event of an illness. Once the policy has matured without a covered illness taking place, the policyholder receives their premium payments back in full. Some plans also offer the opportunity to receive payments that are a percentage of the face amount before the policy matures.
In the prime working years of your life, make sure that you are protected from unfortunate events and are prepared for the time after you retire. Schedule a consultation with a financial expert to determine the types of insurance that are appropriate for you.