China Life Aims to Expand Bancassurance Channel

Posted on Sep 01, 2010 by Sergio Ulloa (G+)  | Tags: Bancassurance, China Life Insurance

China Life Insurance Company Limited (China Life), the largest life insurance company in China by premium, has started to shift its sales strategy towards the bancassurance distribution channels. As a first for the company, the bancassurance channel has contributed more than 70% of the company's insurance premiums for the first half of 2010, becoming a vital premium generator for the company. Known for having the biggest insurance sales team in the country, China Life has been experiencing growth in the contributions from their bancassurance channel, as per a statement recently released in an interview with Wan Feng, president of this Beijing-based insurance company. The term 'bancassurance' is often used to refer to the Bank Insurance Model ('BIM'), which describes the partnership or relationship between a bank and an insurance company whereby the insurance company uses the bank's sales channels, including branch offices, in order to sell insurance products. Bancassurance allows the insurance company to maintain smaller direct sales teams as their products are marketed and sold through the bank to customers by bank staff. Replacing the role of an insurance salesperson, bank staff and tellers become the point of sale and contact for the customer. Bank staff are advised and supported by the insurance company through product information, marketing campaigns and sales training. By the end of June of this year, China Life had approximately 42,700 consumer and wealth management officers assigned to their bancassurance channel, spread over 97,000 branch outlets throughout the country. China Life intends to accelerate its business expansion during the second half of 2010, to cement its footing in the most populous insurance market in the world, according to details also shared by Mr. Wan. Insurance Company mentioned: China Life Insurance China Life Insurance Company Limited (China Life) is a People's Republic of China-based life insurance company. The products and services include individual life insurance, group life insurance, accident and health insurance. The Company operates in four business segments: individual life insurance business, group life insurance business, short-term insurance business, and corporate and other business.