Financial Self-Efficacy and Attitude as Drivers of Participation Intention in Islamic Protection and Savings Insurance: Evidence from Saudi Household Workers

This study investigates the psychological, religious, and financial determinants that influence the intention to participate in Islamic Protection and Savings (P&S) insurance among employed Saudi households.It also examines the mediating role of attitude in the relationship between financial self-efficacy (FSE) and behavioral intention.Drawing on the extended theory of planned behavior, data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4.1.1 to test the proposed relationships.The research model incorporated three principal predictors of Financial Self-Efficacy (FSE)-religious obligation, subjective financial knowledge, and trust in insurance companies-and evaluated the mediating role of attitude in the relationship between FSE and the intention to participate.The findings indicate that attitude is the most significant predictor of behavioral intention, suggesting that individuals with a more favorable attitude toward Islamic P&S insurance are more likely to participate.Financial self-efficacy was found to indirectly influence intention through attitude, highlighting the importance of psychological confidence in shaping behavioral outcomes.Among the antecedents of FSE, religious obligation emerged as the strongest factor, followed by trust in insurance companies and subjective financial knowledge.These results provide meaningful implications for policymakers and insurance providers by emphasizing the need to strengthen positive attitudes and financial confidence through initiatives rooted in religious values and trustbased strategies.Overall, this study contributes to the existing literature by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior to the domain of Islamic insurance, identifying the critical psychological, religious, and financial pathways that shape participation intentions in the Saudi context.