Christopher Freygang - Product Marketing Specialist, Personal Finance, Old Mutual Namibia
Christopher Freygang - Product Marketing Specialist, Personal Finance, Old Mutual Namibia

Transforming Namibian insurance with behavioural economics

Christopher Freygang
The winds of change are blowing through the Namibian insurance industry, carrying with them a revolution fuelled by an unexpected ally: Behavioural economics.

The perception of insurance as a lifeless, uninteresting industry has changed; now, it reflects the liveliness of human behaviour and the complex interplay of choices and biases. Insights from behavioural economics are transforming the entire nature of insurance, improving consumer engagement and risk assessment, and reinventing policy design.

Insurance has always been fundamentally about reducing risk and supplying financial security. However, the human element - the quirks, emotions and prejudices that influence our decisions - is something that standard models frequently ignore.

The study of these subtleties is known as behavioural economics, and it is finding more and more applications in the insurance industry. Insurance companies are realising that better tactics might result from a knowledge of the factors that influence people's decisions.

The importance of client involvement has increased in the Namibian insurance sector. The power of nudges and choice architecture in capturing the customer's attention has been revealed by behavioural economics. Insurance providers are quietly influencing customers' selections by presenting options differently, streamlining complex procedures, and employing personalised communication.

These tactics improve customer satisfaction and create a deeper sense of trust and loyalty.

The cornerstone of the insurance sector, risk assessment, is being profoundly altered by behavioural insights. Traditional underwriting made extensive use of actuarial calculations and historical data. These projections, however, may become significantly more volatile due to the human aspect. Insurance companies are already adding behavioural indicators to their traditional models. They can get a more detailed understanding of individual risk profiles by analysing their customers' behavioural and decision-making patterns. Fairer pricing and better risk management are made possible as a result.

In the past, insurance policies frequently appeared to be universally applicable solutions that failed to consider policyholders' particular requirements and preferences. Economic behaviour has altered the rules of the game.

Insurance companies tailor their plans to fit with psychological principles. This entails creating rules that adapt to changing circumstances in life, providing incentives for good behaviour, and creating products that better reflect client preferences. By doing this, insurers are lessening the moral dangers that have plagued the sector while simultaneously satisfying the demands of their customers.

Trust is a currency that is worth more than gold in an increasingly digital society. The study of behavioural economics offers important insights into establishing and sustaining trust in the insurance industry. Insurance businesses can build confidence that goes beyond the small print by using open communication, concise policy explanations and moral business practices. These actions are changing the sector in Namibia, where trust is particularly important.

The introduction of behavioural economics is dramatically changing the insurance business in Namibia. This partnership between human behaviour and insurance has a significant impact on everything from improving consumer interaction to improving risk assessment and policy design. As insurers continue to respond to these findings, the market will change to provide more dependable, fair and customer-focused insurance options.

One thing is certain in this exciting nexus of economics and insurance: Namibian insurance clients have a brighter, more exciting future thanks to the winds of change.

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Namibian Sun 2024-09-20

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LaLiga: Leganés 0 vs 2 Athletic Club | Real Betis 2 vs 1 Getafe | Mallorca 1 vs 0 Real Sociedad SerieA: Cagliari 0 vs 2 Empoli Katima Mulilo: 25° | 39° Rundu: 20° | 39° Eenhana: 17° | 36° Oshakati: 15° | 34° Ruacana: 16° | 35° Tsumeb: 19° | 34° Otjiwarongo: 13° | 32° Omaruru: 14° | 32° Windhoek: 11° | 28° Gobabis: 9° | 30° Henties Bay: 11° | 18° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 06:23, High tide: 12:53, Low Tide: 19:02, High tide: 01:16 Swakopmund: 12° | 14° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: NW, Low tide: 06:21, High tide: 12:51, Low Tide: 19:00, High tide: 01:14 Walvis Bay: 11° | 17° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: N, Low tide: 06:21, High tide: 12:50, Low Tide: 19:00, High tide: 01:13 Rehoboth: 7° | 29° Mariental: 7° | 26° Keetmanshoop: 6° | 24° Aranos: 6° | 27° Lüderitz: 14° | 27° Ariamsvlei: 6° | 23° Oranjemund: 15° | 30° Luanda: 22° | 24° Gaborone: 11° | 17° Lubumbashi: 18° | 36° Mbabane: 8° | 9° Maseru: 3° | 13° Antananarivo: 11° | 28° Lilongwe: 21° | 31° Maputo: 14° | 15° Windhoek: 11° | 28° Cape Town: 10° | 21° Durban: 13° | 14° Johannesburg: 7° | 9° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 29° Lusaka: 21° | 34° Harare: 17° | 30° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.26 | EUR to NAD 19.53 | CNY to NAD 2.48 | USD to NAD 17.5 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.28 | EGP to NAD 0.35 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.65 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.16 | RUB to NAD 0.19 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 131.93 | USD to AOA 927.77 | USD to BWP 13.17 | USD to EGP 48.46 | USD to KES 128.48 | USD to NGN 1593.37 | USD to ZAR 17.45 | USD to ZMW 26.45 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1831.97 Down -0.38% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14246.86 Up +0.44% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 30937.69 Up +1.96% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9651.25 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 620.13/OZ UP +1.27% | Copper US$ 4.30/lb DOWN -0.0037 | Zinc US$ 2 884.80/T DOWN -0.23% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 74.66/BBP DOWN -0.0029 | Platinum US$ 975.74/OZ DOWN -0.0071 Sport results: LaLiga: Leganés 0 vs 2 Athletic Club | Real Betis 2 vs 1 Getafe | Mallorca 1 vs 0 Real Sociedad SerieA: Cagliari 0 vs 2 Empoli Weather: Katima Mulilo: 25° | 39° Rundu: 20° | 39° Eenhana: 17° | 36° Oshakati: 15° | 34° Ruacana: 16° | 35° Tsumeb: 19° | 34° Otjiwarongo: 13° | 32° Omaruru: 14° | 32° Windhoek: 11° | 28° Gobabis: 9° | 30° Henties Bay: 11° | 18° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 06:23, High tide: 12:53, Low Tide: 19:02, High tide: 01:16 Swakopmund: 12° | 14° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: NW, Low tide: 06:21, High tide: 12:51, Low Tide: 19:00, High tide: 01:14 Walvis Bay: 11° | 17° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: N, Low tide: 06:21, High tide: 12:50, Low Tide: 19:00, High tide: 01:13 Rehoboth: 7° | 29° Mariental: 7° | 26° Keetmanshoop: 6° | 24° Aranos: 6° | 27° Lüderitz: 14° | 27° Ariamsvlei: 6° | 23° Oranjemund: 15° | 30° Luanda: 22° | 24° Gaborone: 11° | 17° Lubumbashi: 18° | 36° Mbabane: 8° | 9° Maseru: 3° | 13° Antananarivo: 11° | 28° Lilongwe: 21° | 31° Maputo: 14° | 15° Windhoek: 11° | 28° Cape Town: 10° | 21° Durban: 13° | 14° Johannesburg: 7° | 9° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 29° Lusaka: 21° | 34° Harare: 17° | 30° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.26 | EUR to NAD 19.53 | CNY to NAD 2.48 | USD to NAD 17.5 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.28 | EGP to NAD 0.35 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.65 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.16 | RUB to NAD 0.19 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 131.93 | USD to AOA 927.77 | USD to BWP 13.17 | USD to EGP 48.46 | USD to KES 128.48 | USD to NGN 1593.37 | USD to ZAR 17.45 | USD to ZMW 26.45 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1831.97 Down -0.38% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14246.86 Up +0.44% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 30937.69 Up +1.96% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9651.25 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 620.13/OZ UP +1.27% | Copper US$ 4.30/lb DOWN -0.0037 | Zinc US$ 2 884.80/T DOWN -0.23% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 74.66/BBP DOWN -0.0029 | Platinum US$ 975.74/OZ DOWN -0.0071