Thursday 16 November 2017

New Commission study on insurance services


On 27th October the European Commission published a study on consumers’ decision making in insurance services. Insurance services are particularly important due to the size of the market (with non-life premiums rising to € 343bn in 2015, according to Insurance Europe) as well as for ensuring financial stability.

The study focused on non-life insurance products purchased domestically and cross-border, with cross-border purchases being key for the internal market. The methodology of the study combined a systematic literature review, market data collection and stakeholder interviews along with behavioural experiments both online and in the laboratory. The use of behavioural experiments shows the increasing influence and status of behavioural economics in EU policy making, as the results of the study are meant to inform the European Commission’s Consumer Financial Services Action Plan

The study produced some interesting findings. For example it highlighted that consumers are more likely to engage with the information provided when it is presented in a concise, salient and user-friendly way. However, the real challenge lies in pointing out exactly the strategies that would make the presentation of the info user-friendly, and the study provides some insights on that. For example, separating sections using boxes and presenting text in two columns, using icons to indicate the subject of each section, and using traffic light coloured ticks as bullet points to indicate risks covered and not covered. Weight is placed on national authorities frequently monitoring the provision of information and harmonising the rules on provision of information where possible. Price comparison websites, another informational aspect, can be helpful for consumers but the study raised concerns as to their impartiality and independence.

Another key finding of the study is the negative effect of pressure in the decision making of consumers, with pressure selling being particularly prevalent in car rental and add-on insurance. Pressure selling makes consumers make sub-optimal decisions or buy products they do not need. Beyond improving enforcement, what is suggested could help with pressure selling is better information, especially underlining the existence of alternatives and presenting the product in a balanced way. Timing is key for addressing pressure, as well as for processing information. Allowing consumers time to reflect on their decisions and to modify them at a later date can prove to be helpful, according to the results of the study. However, there is the issue of how much consumers make use of such measures and what can be done for addressing pressure selling ex ante.

As most behavioural studies, this one also points out that consumers tend to be passive, they prefer the familiar and do not devote sufficient time and effort in comparing alternatives in the market. Consumers have a low awareness and understanding of contract terms. Behavioural biases play a role in consumers buying excess that is too low for their needs or choosing not to buy insurance at all. The image of the consumer painted in this study is at odds with the that of the average consumer as used in CJEU case law, a consumer who is expected to be ‘reasonably well-informed, observant and circumspect’.

In relation to cross-border shopping for non-life insurance the study found that although there is some interest for it, there are barriers preventing consumers from cross-border purchases, including low awareness of the possibility for cross-border purchases, language barriers and the complexity of the market, as well as regulatory differences and concern over problem solving. Harmonisation is key for promoting cross border purchases and it is one of the suggestions made, especially for harmonising definitions and contract formats.

Though the study itself calls for further research and collection of more data, it is a welcome systematic effort to study the European insurance market with robust methodology and concrete suggestions. It remains to be seen how much it will influence EU policy when it comes to taking concrete measures.