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MANAGEMENT OF LIFE ASSURANCE FUND IN NIGERIA INSURANCE INDUSTRY

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Abstract

It is common to see reports of business failing than business succeeding. Almost always, the failure or success of a business can be attributed to its management. When a business is mismanaged, it will lead to liquidation, the company will not meet their solvency margin thereby running away from their obligation as to settle claims which in turn portray ugly insurance image. This study therefore is exploratory study designed to determine how life assurance funds are properly managed. The population of the study comprises both staff and customers of Selected Insurance firms. A sample size of fifty (50) was selected made up of 20 staff and 30 customers. Both primary and secondary data were collected. Questionnaire coupled with personal interviews were the main research instrument. The data was analyzed by the use of chi-square statistical method. The study came out that for proper management of life insurance fund, the premium should be invested both in short and long term investments s

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

It is common to see reports of business failing than business succeeding. Almost always, the failure or success of a business can be attributed to its management. When a business is mismanaged, it will lead to liquidation the company will not meet their solvency margin thereby running away from their obligation as to settle claims which in turn portray ugly insurance image. However, it will also have a drastic effect on the Nigeria economy when it failed. In order to nurture the interaction, this research focus on insurance industries and how they managed life assurance premium, to know if the premium are invested as stipulated by law, how they handle claims and the beneficiaries and also how life assurance fund help in the economic development of Nigeria.

Moreover, management of life assurance fund in insurance industry relates primarily to the way the industry managed life assurance premium in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives using available fund efficiently and effectively.

however,="" in="" context="" to="" management,="" selected="" insurance="" firmslimited="" is="" an="" associate="" of="" union="" bank="" nigeria="" plc.the="" company="" was="" registered="" as="" insurer="" on="" november="" 18,="" 1993="" and="" actually="" commences="" business="" 1998.="" at="" the="" time,="" it="" first="" attempt="" by="" any="" venture="" into="" universal="" banking.="" therefore="" became="" life="" assurance="" specialist’s="" underwriter="" with="" same="" period.="" recently,="" redefining="" those="" strong="" potentials="" challenge="" industry="" management="" top="" five="" brackets.="" apart="" from="" restructuring="" its="" operations,="" diversifying="" expanding="" a="" period="" where="" competitors="" are="" contracting="" due="" uncertain="" economic="" conditions.="" new="" driving="" change="" excellence="" place="" venturing="" frontiers="" that="" were="" uncultivated.="" has="" also="" brought="" bear="" company’s="" innovations="" which="" impacting="" positively="" work="" culture="" assurance. ="" robust="" investment="" portfolio="" cutting="" across="" assets="" equity,="" money="" bond="" property="" markets="" totaling="" over="" n5="" billion,="" they="" employs="" conservative="" but="" dynamic="" strategy="" geared="" towards="" increasing="" income="" profitability.

More so, in managing life assurance funds money is pooled together with that of other investors to create a single strong fund that provide significant investors benefits which includes an instant increase in buying strength, thereby contributing towards economic development in Nigeria. However, life assurance fund are funds accumulated through payment made by the assured person called premium so that should death occur, prior to a specified date or upon survival at an agreed period funds would be made available from the scheme to pay whatever benefits that are due. The idea for assistance and association is not new to the Nigeria society various town and clan unions and social clubs have various ways of showing benevolence to their bereaved. It is customary for people to pay condolence visit and present a sympathy purse. These practices are similar to mutual life assurance.

In addition to this, there are also the long-term needs to create and sustain an enabling environment that will engender safe practice against destructive runs in managing life assurance funds, protecting and ensuring fair play among insures in the industry.

 

 

• Statement of Problems

Complex set of interrelated problems are identify as follows:

1. Mismanagement of life assurance premium which lead to liquidation.
2. Inability to invest life assurance funds in varieties of security due to lack of experts.

• Ineffective investment management of life assurance fund which affect expectations of the insuring public and the growth of the industry.
  • Objectives of the Study

Having been exposed to the problems the researcher tends to achieve the following:

1. To described the implication and suggest possible ways of managing life assurance fund.
   1. To assess the factors that determines the area of investments of life assurance fund.
   2. To ascertain whether life assurance funds are invested more on short-term investment than on long-term investment instruments or vice versa.
   3. To promote investors’ confidence towards life assurance

• Research Questions

1. What appropriate strategies can be put in place to ensure effective management of life assurance funds?
2. What factors determine the areas of investment of life assurance funds?
3. What forms of investments is life assurance funds put into most, (long-term or short-term investment instruments)?
4. What are the trend expectations of the insuring public?

1. Research Hypothesis

The research work tends to test the following hypothesis listed below:

H

0

:     Management of life assurance fund has no positive effect on the economic growth and development of Nigeria.

H

1

:    Management of life assurance fund has positive effect on the economic growth and development of Nigeria.

 

• Significance of the Study

It is aimed that this study will help the insurance industry to plan, organize and control life assurance fund in order to maintain proficiency and standard in insurance practice, thereby investing life assurance fund in varieties of investments, in turn have adequate fund to settle claims which will portray good insurance image and brings development in Nigeria economy.

It will also aid the candidate or student having HND in insurance to know the various areas where insurance can invest.

• The Scope and Limitations of the Study

This research work limit to one of the insurance companies in Enugu, Selected Insurance firms of Nigeria to be precise.

There are a lot of constraints in the gathering of information of this research work but the major constrain are as follows:

1. Time: in report to the theoretical and practical work the time allowed for project was limited besides there was carried out with other academic assessments.
2. Finance: Due to high rate of academic fees, I could not be able to carry out research with easy as I was planned.

 

• Definition of The Terms
1. Management: this is the act of running and controlling a business or similar organization so as to achieve the organizational goal.
2. Insurance: is a contact between two parties insured and insurer whereby the insured pay small amount of money called premium and the insurer promise to compensate the insured when the specified risk insured against occur.
• Life Assurance: is a contract of insurance on party called the insurer agreed that subject to some terms exceptions and conditions that he would pay some money on the death of life assured on the precious maturity of the policy.
1. Fund: this is an amount of money that have been saved or made available for a particular purpose.
2. Premium: is the monetary consideration paid by the insured for insurance cover i.e. the price of services rendered.
3. Investment: to put money, effort, time into something to make a profit or get an advantage. It can be buying of property or share in a company as to make profit out of it.
• Mismanagement: to organize or control a business badly
• Liquidation: to cause a business to close, so that its assets can be sold to pay its debts i.e. the process by which a company or part of a company is bought to an end, and the asset and property of a company redistributed. These can also be seen as winding up of a firm by selling off its free (un-pledge) assets to convert them into cash to pay the firm’s unsecured creditors.
1. Solvency Margin: this is a minimum excess on an insurance assets over its liabilities set by regulators, it can be regard as similar to capital adequacy. It is also company ability to pay claims.
2. Policyholder: is a person or a corporation who owns an insurance policy. It also, the owner of an insurance policy; usually, but not always the insured.
3. Stakeholder: A person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization i.e. a person, group, organization, member or system who affects or can be affected by an organization actions.