Life Insurance in Asia: Sustaining Growth in the Next Decade

"This book encompasses many of the most relevant insights on the industry sustaining growth is the most pressing topic for all insurers in the region today. Joe and Stephan have lived up to their reputation as the most sought–after thought leaders in the industry. A must–read!"
Peter Ma, Chairman and CEO, Ping An

"The life insurance business has evolved interestingly, with Asia occupying the central stage both in terms of growth and innovation. We have lessons from different parts of the world, and this book by Stephan and Joe provides deep insight and knowledge for managing one′s life insurance business."
Sandeep Bakhshi, CEO, ICICI Prudential

"Asia represents an unprecedented opportunity for value creation in life insurance and Stephan and Joe have captured both the current and emerging opportunities and challenges extremely well. This is a book written by real insiders, rich in detail and examples highly recommended!"
Sachin N. Shah, COO, MetLife Alico Japan

"Across the region, local and multinational insurers are all faced with new challenges, including changing customer preferences, maturing distribution channels, and heightened competition. All these trends highlight the difficulty for executives to sustain growth in the next decade this book captures perfectly the mood in the industry."
Nam Gyu Cha, President and CEO, Hanwha Life Insurance

"Yet again another insightful contribution the last edition was an enjoyable read, and the authors have again given us their latest practical insights into the industry. The range of topics and the depth of experience are truly impressive. Congratulations!"
Bernard Chan, President, Asia Financial Holdings and Asia Insurance

"Stephan and Joe have worked with most of the leading Asian insurance players and have observed the industry evolve across many markets. Their knowledge and practical insights into the industry are captured in Life Insurance in Asia, making this a must–read for industry executives."
Ajay Srinivasan, Chairman, Birla Sun Life

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

What Is New in This Second Edition? xii

CHAPTER 1 Emerging Themes in Asia 1

A New Paradigm 3

Asia as the Emerging Powerhouse in Insurance 4

A Heated Battle between Multinationals and Locals 11

The Changing Face of Distribution 22

Driving Innovation in Insurance 35

Changing Product Mix to New Needs of Asian Consumers 40

Conclusion 54

CHAPTER 2 China: Yes, Size Does Matter 57

A Winding Road to the Top 59

Rise of the Chinese Giants 62

Foreign Multinationals in China: Scaling the Great Wall 66

Key Challenges to Overcome in China 71

The Future: Growth in Uncertainty 84

CHAPTER 3 India: Dance of the Elephant 87

Dawn of a New Era 89

Changing Landscape of the Life Insurance Market 93

Path to Sustainable Growth in the New Normal 96

The Future: India Life Insurance 2.0 105

CHAPTER 4 Japan: A Giant Awakening? 107

Continued Stagnation in the Overall Market 110

Shifting Competitive Landscape 112

Emerging Opportunities in Certain Product Submarkets 121

Increasing Scope for Innovative Sales Models 129

The Future 133

CHAPTER 5 South Korea and Taiwan: An Increasingly Localized Game 135

Highly Mature Markets 138

Mismatched Book of Assets and Liabilities 139

Entrenched Position of Leading Domestic Players 140

Foreign Players Fighting to Gain Share from Local Incumbents 141

South Korea: Solid and Resilient 143

Taiwan: Darkness before Dawn? 152

CHAPTER 6 Hong Kong and Singapore: Refusing to Mature 165

Profitable and High–Growth Contributor 170

Small but Stable Market for Latecomers 171

Attractive Asian Base for Multinational Insurers 172

Hong Kong: The China Opportunity Offshore 173

Singapore: Structured and Profitable 185

CHAPTER 7 Southeast Asia: The Underappreciated Growth Engine 191

Increasing Competition between Foreign and Local Players 195

Tailored Products for Market Niches 199

Channel Upgrades to Reach More Customer Segments 200

The Future: Reaching Scale 203

Indonesia: The Next Growth Frontier 203

Vietnam: Little China? 207

Looking Forward: Major Challenges Ahead 210

CHAPTER 8 The Road Ahead: A New Paradigm for Life Insurance in Asia 213

Changing Context: A Much More Difficult and Nuanced World 213

Seven Priorities for Winners 213

Sustaining Growth in the Next Decade 222

Appendix 223

Reference Sources 223

Methodology 226

Notes 227

Index 231

DR. STEPHAN BINDER is a director in McKinsey & Company′s Shanghai office and leader of the Insurance Practice in the Asia–Pacific region. He has been with McKinsey since 1995 and is an advisor to many of the region′s leading insurance companies and banks, with a long track record of successfully working with leading local companies and multinationals in Asia, Europe, and North America. Stephan has been published widely and is a prominent speaker at conferences on financial services topics. A German national, he holds a PhD from the University of M??nster and a master of business administration and economics from the Witten/Herdecke University.

JOSEPH LUC NGAI is the managing partner of McKinsey & Company′s Hong Kong office, and leads McKinsey′s life insurance practice in Asia. He has advised several leading domestic and multi– national insurers and banks in Asia, counseling many of them through multi–year transformation journeys. He is a sought–after speaker on financial topics, and has appeared frequently at industry conferences as well as in the media. A Hong Kong native, he holds an AB from Harvard University, a JD from Harvard Law School, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.