• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.19-40
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the role and merits and demerits of insurance agencies, which are the main sales channels of the domestic insurance market, from a neutral standpoint, and to present a roadmap by finding ways and tasks for the sustainable development of the insurance agency industry. Recently, criticisms and regulations on independent distribution channels have been strengthened due to deterioration in growth potential and profitability, and increase in civil complaints of insurance companies. In the 2000s, as the center of insurance sales channels shifted to GA and bancassurance, the supervisory authorities regarded the irrationality of project costs and recruitment fees as the root causes and announced a regulatory improvement plan. In view of these circumstance, the operating status, problems of domestic insurance agencies and their contribution to the insurance industry were reviewed. In addition, we tried to find a mid-to-long term development plan by analyzing the case of insurance agency operation in Japan. This study identified the operating status and contribution of insurance agencies in South Korea, and focused on the major status of the Japanese insurance agency industry, ways to improve management efficiency, and the status and role of self-regulatory organizations for insurance agencies. Based on this, it was proposed to improve the professionalism of the sales organization, introduce a company specializing in insurance sales, and to strengthen the status of the association of the insurance agency as for the development plan of the insurance agency industry in South Korea.