ABSTRACT

This study investigates the marketing of health insurance policies with special focus on Umuahia South Local Government Area in Abia State. The study seeks to: determine current knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding health insurance of rural customers; identify the factors which are prohibiting the purchase of health insurance policies in the area; compare the risk factor and other factors of purchasing health insurance policies; determine the potential rural customers' perceived needs for acceptance of and willingness to purchase health insurance policies; as well as determine the Knowledge of the rural consumers regarding health insurance marketers and their products. The study answers the following research questions: how does the income of consumers affect their purchase of health insurance policies; can understanding of a consumer buying behaviour affect the position of the health insurance in the rural area; how efficient does marketing strategies suit the consumer needs and wants? Two hypothesis were formulated for the purpose of the study which include: there is no significant relationship between consumers' income and consumers' purchase of health insurance policy; there is no significant relationship between marketing strategies and consumers' need for health insurance policy. Likert statistical technique was employed in the analysis. The study reveals that poor policy implementation among health insurance workers, poor attitude of the marketers of health insurance policies, poor information about health insurance policies, lack of exposure on the benefits of health insurance policies, strict limitation which may leave policy holders exposed to high medical expenses, finance, ignorance, and inadequate awareness of health insurance policies in the rural area, are some factors prohibiting the purchase of health insurance policies in the rural area; excessive monetary expenses on funding of health insurance policies is the major risk factor associated with the purchase of health insurance policies; access to some financial benefits associated with the insurance policies, and access to adequate medical services are the major needs that trigger the acceptance and willingness of potential rural customers to purchase health insurance policies; although some rural dwellers are aware of health insurance policies, a greater percentage of the rural dwellers do not have good knowledge regarding health insurance marketers and their products; low income of consumers in the rural area strongly affects the consumers' purchase of health insurance policies; estimation of the overall risk of health care policies and the associated higher expenses, poor mentality, and traditional age-long believes and practices are the major factors militating against the buying behaviour of rural dwellers towards health care policies; marketers of health insurance policies adopt efficient marketing strategies towards the satisfaction of the consumers' needs and wants are. It is concluded that: high cost of funding health insurance policies is the major risk factor militating against the purchase of health insurance policies by rural dwellers; as the income level of the people is very low; potential rural customers are only attracted to insurance policies that have financial benefits and access to adequate medical services attached to it; the marketing strategies of health insurance policies marketers towards the satisfaction of the consumers' needs and wants are efficient; however, poor mentality, and traditional age-long believes and practices in the rural area militate against their purchase of health insurance policies. It is therefore recommended that: marketers of health insurance policies should adopt a premium price that will be easily affordable by the customers; marketers of health insurance policies should adopt policies that provide other benefits to the policy holders; potential customers should seek the advice of professional insurance brokers for proper guide towards purchase of health insurance policie