Antecedents and consequences of insurer-salesperson relationships

Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore the antecedents and consequences of insurer trust and salesperson trust, as well as the relationships between insurer, salesperson, and customer loyalty in order to build a conceptual model which investigates the relationships of insurer trust and salesperson trust, and finds ways to build trust and customer loyalty in the non-life insurance industry in Taiwan.Design/methodology/approach– The data for this study were collected from the customers of non-life insurers’ policyholder service centres and were analysed using in-depth interviews and questionnaires. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was to assess the proposed research model empirically.Findings– This study finds that firm size did not have a significant effect on insurer trust. Customer trust in the insurer was negatively but not significantly related to customer trust in the salesperson. Additionally, when relatives or friends are insurance salespersons; it is easy to build trust with them.Originality/value– This study provides non-life insurers with new avenues for promoting and marketing their insurance.