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The role of life insurance in an emerging economy: Human capital protection, assets allocation and social interaction

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  • Shi, Xiaojun
  • Wang, Hung-Jen
  • Xing, Chunbing

Abstract

In this paper, we provide micro-econometric evidence on the determinants of life insurance demand in China, the largest emerging market in the world. We employ the China Household Income Project (CHIP) dataset for the year 2002 in the analysis. The timing is ideal, because of the nature of the less well developed capital markets and social security systems in China in 2002, which sets a suitable stage to study the insurance demand behavior of emerging markets. The results indicate that both the human capital protection motive and the asset allocation motive are important in explaining the purchase of life insurance in China. In addition, we present three empirical regularities: (1) the positive correlation between the returns to human capital and the returns to market portfolio decrease the demand for life insurance; (2) both the current wealth and future income of a household exert curvilinear impacts on life insurance demand; (3) the breadth of a households social connections has substantial impacts on life insurance demand.

Suggested Citation

  • Shi, Xiaojun & Wang, Hung-Jen & Xing, Chunbing, 2015. "The role of life insurance in an emerging economy: Human capital protection, assets allocation and social interaction," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 19-33.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:50:y:2015:i:c:p:19-33
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2014.08.028
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    Cited by:

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    2. Chu-Shiu Li & Gene C. Lai & Saruultuya Tsendsuren & Richard J. Butler & Chwen-Chi Liu, 2023. "Cognitive abilities and life insurance holdings: evidence from 16 European countries," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 48(1), pages 110-166, March.
    3. Ling Tian & Haisong Dong, 2022. "Family Life Cycle, Asset Portfolio, and Commercial Health Insurance Demand in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Srbinoski Bojan & Strozzi Fernanda & Poposki Klime & Born Patricia H., 2020. "Trends in Life Insurance Demand and Lapse Literature," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 14(2), pages 1-46, July.
    5. Saruultuya Tsendsuren & Chu-Shiu Li & Sheng-Chang Peng & Wing-Keung Wong, 2018. "The Effects of Health Status on Life Insurance Holdings in 16 European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-30, September.
    6. Rajat Deb & Deep Deb & Kiran Sankar Chakraborty, 2022. "Spousal roles in life insurance demands," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 49(1), pages 3-11, March.
    7. Chen, Bo & Zeng, Ning & Tam, Kwo Ping, 2024. "Do social networks affect household financial vulnerability? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    8. Wang, Hongyang & Zhang, Dayong & Guariglia, Alessandra & Fan, Gang-Zhi, 2021. "‘Growing out of the growing pain’: Financial literacy and life insurance demand in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Shi, Xiaojun & Du, Baorui, 2024. "Decomposition of social networks and household purchase of insurance as knowledge products," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life insurance; Human capital; Assets allocation; Social connections;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

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