About the Market

The health insurance industry is one of the cardinal components of the global economy by virtue of the amount of revenue it generates, the extent of the global investment, and most prominently the indispensable socio-economic role it plays in securing personal and business risk in the event of unforeseen problems. The key issues in the insurance industry include rising competition, generally soft pricing conditions and tight profit margins. Moreover, the economic turbulence in 2008 has affected employer and corporate health insurance business in the developed countries to some extent, due to cost cutting and lay-off of employees and slowdown of new recruitments. However, at individual levels, the market has not shown any significant slowdown. The health insurance market in developed nations is consolidated by few major players who cover more than 80% of private and public (medicare and medicaid) managed insurance. The cardinal challenges for new capital entrants in the health insurance market include immense competition and rising customer expectations. Success here would be enhanced by expanding digital capabilities, making insurance products easier to understand, compare and purchase. The health insurance market especially in the EU5 countries (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) is quite stable owing to a significant contribution from the government. The growth perspective for private players is limited due to universal health coverage plans in these countries. Furthermore, in developing regions the health insurance market for private players continue to challenge as economic recovery throughout the region is overshadowed by low business investment rates and slower industry growth. In some developing nations, the growth prospects remain high due to increasing GDP, rise in disposable income, and growing trend toward health security. Furthermore, the growth of the middle class and high net worth population in these regions presents an immense opportunity for international players to exploit the emerging market. Major players in the market include United Health Group Inc., Allianz SE, AIA Insurance Group, Express Scripts Holding Company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd., AXA, Aviva Plc, Aetna Inc., International Medical Group, Apollo Munich Health Insurance and Cigna Corporation.

About the Geography

South Africa is a developing, young country with a median age of 25.9 years and has a population of 52.98 million. It has a well-developed constitutional democracy. The country has brought economic reforms, which have led to macroeconomic stability and one of the largest stock exchanges in the world. The country has a well-developed transport infrastructure, sound macro conditions and robust financial and legal framework.

South Africa is among the top developing nations but faces problems such as skills deficit, poor labor relations, lack of electricity, violent crime, corruption, unemployment rate and immigration laws. In order to attract foreign investors, the government has initiated simple tax rules, investment incentives, protection of intellectual rights, and better regulatory policies through foreign investment grant, skills support program, the Protection of Investment Act, and the strategic industrial project programs. South Africa has great potential for foreign investors as it is largely a free market economy, has a transparent regulatory framework, a large population, access to raw materials and political stability.

The country is the third largest FDI recipient in Africa with most of it going to the telecommunications sector. The government is taking steps to curb the unemployment rate and provide continuous electricity. It has a large English-speaking population and hence is a popular choice for foreign investment.

The Market Entry Series

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