The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Health Insurance Market in Bulgaria

Abstract

The chapter is focused on the study of the effect of the processes caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic on the health insurance market in Bulgaria – a field of business with a high return on investment and an exceptional public benefit, while at the same time suffering from a deficit of research, which necessitates the need for more in-depth and up-to-date scientific analysis and studies. In this regard, referring to the official statistical data of the Financial Supervision Commission, an analysis is made of the key indicators for the development of the insurance market in Bulgaria during the period 2017-2022, indicating the factors that influence the main processes taking place in it. The main result is expressed in confirmation of the thesis, that there is high market concentration in the current health insurance market, in favor of a few insurance companies performing a key role in it, and on the market, there is growth in terms of gross written premium income, also provoked by COVID-19.