Customer-Centric Performance in Private Life Insurance: A Structural and Generalized Linear Model Analysis of Indian Insurers

The Indian life insurance sector has undergone substantial structural and competitive transformation following liberalization, particularly with the emergence of private insurers alongside the dominant public sector player, the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). In this increasingly competitive environment, understanding customer-centric performance has become essential for insurers seeking sustainable growth and enhanced market penetration. The present study empirically evaluates the customer-centric performance of selected private life insurers in India by examining key dimensions including customer awareness, satisfaction, perception, reliability, and agent service quality. Primary data were collected from 452 respondents residing in semi-urban and rural areas. The study employs descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Generalized Linear Model (GLM), and regression analysis to examine the relationships among the identified variables. The findings indicate that customer satisfaction and awareness of product variety significantly contribute to policy adoption. Furthermore, agent service quality and awareness of insurance schemes emerge as important drivers of customer-centric performance. The study highlights the importance of strengthening customer awareness, improving service delivery through agents, and enhancing product communication to improve customer engagement and expand the market reach of private life insurers. The findings provide useful implications for insurance managers and policymakers in developing customer-oriented strategies within India's evolving life insurance industry.