Over the last 20 years, the convergence between banking and insurance
activities has rapidly grown in Europe, evolving from simple commercial agreements to
fully integrated models. The competitive viability of bancassurance strongly depends on
market fluctuations and current trends in the financial services industry. This results in
changing fortunes and cyclic successes, intensifying the debate between bancassurance
advocates and sceptics.
This book offers a comprehensive view on the evolution of the phenomenon,
from its origin to challenges and opportunities in the near future, also considering some
relevant changes in customers preferences and regulation.
It also provides a detailed, systematic review of the existing theoretical and
empirical literature on financial conglomeration,paying special attention to banks
entering the insurance business. Finally, the main findings from an empirical analysis of
the potential efficiency gains of bancassurance are discussed, adopting both banking and
insurance perspectives.
FRANCO FIORDELISI Professor of Banking and Finance in the Faculty of
Economics at the University of Rome III, Italy. He is also Visiting Research Fellow at
Bangor Business School, Bangor University, UK, the Essex Finance Centre of the University
of Essex, UK, the European Central Bank and the Olin Business School of the Washington
University in St Louis, US. He is author of publications in several journals: Journal
of Banking & Finance, Omega – The International Journal of Management, European
Financial Management, European Journal of Finance, Applied Economics, Applied
Financial Economics. His recent books include Shareholder Value in European Banking,
New Drivers of Performance in a Changing Financial World, Mergers and
Acquisitions in European Banking, New Issues in Financial and Credit Markets
and New Issues in Financial Institutions Management.
ORNELLA RICCI Assistant Professor of Banking and Finance in the
Faculty of Economics at the University of Rome III, Italy. Her main research interests
focus on financial conglomeration and bancassurance. She is author of several publications
on financial institutions, including articles in the European Journal of Finance
and Applied Financial Economics.
Table of Contents
Introduction; F.Fiordelisi & O.Ricci
The Development of Bancassurance in Europe; O.Ricci
Bancassurance Products; M.G.Starita
Bancassurance: The Market Reality in Europe; M.Caratelli
The Regulatory Framework; M.G.Starita
Insurance Financial Statements; S.Pucci
Studying the Bancassurance Phenomenon: A Literature Review; O.Ricci
Studying the Bancassurance Phenomenon: An Empirical Exploratory
Analysis on a European Sample; F.Fiordelisi & O.Ricci
Studying the Bancassurance Phenomenon: A Two Side Analysis on the
Relevant Case of Italy; F.Fiordelisi & O.Ricci
Conclusions; F.Fiordelisi & O.Ricci
248 pages, Hardcover