Trends in Life Insurance Demand and Lapse Literature

Abstract

AbstractThe article analyzes the interconnectedness and gaps between two interrelated streams of literature, evolving in different time periods, by employing bibliometric tools. The research on the factors of life insurance demand started in the late 1960s and early 1970s, while more intensive works on the drivers of lapses in life insurance appeared during the 2000s. We map the research fields using our own criteria to create clusters and visualize the flow of knowledge within and between the clusters employing citation network analysis (CNA). We contribute by providing the most comprehensive systematic review that integrates both fields, additionally encapsulating studies on the demand for policy loans. The article detects the most important drivers of life insurance policyholder behavior during his/her lifetime and opens new horizons for future research.