Measuring Total Factor Productivity of China Provincial Non-Life Insurance Market: A DEA-Malmquist Index Method

Abstract

The unbalanced economic development results in the difference in operating efficiency of the non-life insurance industry in China’s provinces; based on the DEA-Malmquist index method, this paper investigates the provincial differences, dynamic change characteristics, and causes of non-life insurance productivity in 31 provinces of China from 2004 to 2017. The results show that in the sample period, there are significant differences between provinces and regions in China’s non-life insurance efficiency, which generally shows the echelon spatial characteristics of “strong in the west and weak in the east”. Technological progress in the western region promotes the rapid growth of total factor productivity, while the low efficiency of technological progress in the eastern region restrains the improvement of total factor productivity. The overall total factor productivity of China’s provincial non-life insurance industry is on the rise, mainly due to the improvement of pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency, while technological progress has an inhibiting effect on the contrary. These conclusions are of reference value for relevant stakeholders in China’s provincial non-life insurance market to formulate development strategies and business strategies.