Insurance penetration and economic growth nexus: Cross-country evidence from ASEAN

Abstract

This paper investigates whether there are Granger causal relationships between insurance market penetration, broad money, stock-market capitalization, and economic growth, using panel data for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) countries for the 1988–2012 period. Using a multivariate framework, we show that all the variables are cointegrated and reveal a network of causal connections, including short-run bidirectional causality between insurance market penetration and economic growth. Recommendations based on this study include establishing a sound regulatory framework for a country's insurance industry, and introducing professional education and certification of insurance personnel to ensure adherence to global best practices and standards. Moreover, opening up a country's domestic insurance market to larger foreign players can ensure a wider choice of cost-effective, quality insurance.