보험영업 건전화를 위한 보험판매전문회사의 도입 및 감독방안

When a general agency (GA) causes harm to consumers, the insurer is primarily responsible for compensation and may subsequently seek recourse from the GA. However, in the current structure where insurance product development (by insurers) and sales (by GAs) are separated, it is unreasonable to shift the responsibility of the seller (GA) to the developer (insurer). Moreover, due to the superior bargaining power of GAs, the exercise of recourse rights by insurers is often not feasible. This study proposes transforming GAs into independent financial entities—specialized insurance sales companies—that act as intermediaries for insurance products. It suggests assigning legal responsibility for any misconduct in the sales process directly to these sellers. Specifically, this study presents a phased approach to introducing specialized insurance sales companies, covering the stages of market entry, operation, and exit. In particular, this study emphasizes the need for differentiated policy measures at each stage based on the size of the GA. Such staged safeguards are expected to help clarify the allocation of liability for consumer harm, enhance the professionalism of GAs, and strengthen consumer protection. However, as this research represents the first attempt to propose detailed policy measures tailored to each stage and GA size in the transition to specialized insurance sales companies, further public discourse and policy discussion are necessary.