Digital Distribution of Life Insurance Takes Off

July 25, 2017


Conning—Digital Distribution of Life Insurance Takes Off

 

(Hartford, CT) July 25, 2017—The promise of full digital distribution, from application through underwriting to issuance is now a reality for life insurance, according to a new study by Conning.

“In 2016, digital distribution really began to take off,” said Scott Hawkins, a Director, Insurance Research at Conning. “Using accelerated underwriting, digital agencies are now able to issue policies directly to consumers. A number of companies have developed accelerated underwriting technologies and related support services —from global reinsurers to early stage start-ups. The products offered by these companies range from screening applications to helping insurers automate and streamline the entire life insurance buying process.”

The Conning study, “Life-Annuity Distribution & Marketing Annual: Digital Distribution Takes Off” identifies the key players, trends, and technologies that are fully enabling digital distribution.  The study analyzes individual life and annuity sales trends by product and channel for five years through 2016 and forecasts product-level sales through 2019.

“Life insurers and their distributors expend significant resources in turning prospects into clients,” said Steve Webersen, Head of Insurance Research at Conning. “That process, at a high level, involves three stages: application, underwriting, and issuance. The first and third stages had been digitized, meaning an individual could submit a digital application and have their policy delivered digitally. A major challenge in digitizing the entire buying process has been underwriting, but the industry is now meeting that challenge.”

Life-Annuity Distribution & Marketing Annual: Digital Distribution Takes Off” is available for purchase from Conning by calling (888) 707-1177 or by visiting www.conningresearch.com.

ABOUT CONNING®

Conning (www.conning.com) is a leading global investment management firm with more than $115 billion in global assets under management as of June 30, 2017.* With a long history of serving the insurance industry, Conning supports institutional investors, including pension plans, with investment solutions and asset management offerings, award-winning risk modeling software, and industry research. Founded in 1912, Conning has offices in Boston, Cologne, Hartford, Hong Kong, London, New York, and Tokyo.                                                                                             

*As of June 30, 2017, represents the combined global assets under management for the affiliated firms under Conning Holdings Limited, and Cathay Securities Investment Trust Co., Ltd. ("SITE"). SITE reports internally into Conning Asia Pacific Limited, but is a separate legal entity under Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd. which is the ultimate controlling parent of all Conning entities. [5968887]

Contact: Michael Warner Conning, Inc.
860-299-2408
Mike.Warner@Conning.com