Organizacija, Volume 51 Research Papers Number 1, February 2018 DOI: 10.2478/orga-2018-0004 Measuring the Concentration of Insurance sector - the Case of Southeastern European Countries Maja DIMIČ1, Lidija BARJAKTAROVIČ2, Olja ARSENIJEVIČ1, Polona ŠPRAJC3, Janez ŽIROVNIK3 1 University Union Nikola Tesla, Faculty of Business Studies and Law, Staro sajmiste 29, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia maja.dimic@fpsp.edu.rs, Serbia, olja.arsenijevic@fpsp.edu.rs 2 University Singidunum, Faculty of Business Belgrade, 32 Danijelova St., Belgrade, Serbia lbarjaktarovic@singidunum.ac.rs 3 University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Science, Kidriceva cesta 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia polona.sprajc@fov.uni-mb.si, janez.zirovnik@guest.um.si Background and purpose: The goal of the paper is to determine the level of concentration in the insurance sector in the following eight countries of South and Eastern Europe: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania in the period from 2007 to 2012. Design/Methodology/Approach: In this context, the analysed indicators of concentration were the market share of the four leading financial institutions (CR4), the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), the coefficient of entropy (E), the coefficient of relative entropy (RE) and Gini coefficient (G). Results: The study showed that the insurance sectors in the analysed countries are highly concentrated on average (according to CR4 indicator), medium concentrated (according to HHI) with high levels of inequality of distribution of market shares between individual participants (in terms of G coefficient), and in the zone of relative uniformity and equality of business entities (according to RE coefficient). The research results point out that the existence of different levels of correlation between the analysed indicators of concentration in the insurance sector, which confirms the conclusion that, in order to obtain relevant and quality conclusions about the level of concentration, it is necessary to review and analyse several indicators of concentration integrally. Conclusion: In all observed indicators of concentration in relation with the density level GDP pc move in the zone of very low value, which on the one hand points to the fact that the analysed countries at a relatively similar level of development have significantly different levels of concentration, but also on the fact that some countries although at different levels of development, have similar levels of concentration. Keywords: insurance sector; concentration level; concentration indicators; South-Eastern European countries 1 Introduction The concentration process, as a result of the strong global economy, leads to the development of relatively large companies, which become economically stronger and have the ability to obtain a more favourable position in the market. The concept of concentration in the financial sector is defined as a form of connecting institutions under a common control system, which consequently creates a certain level of economic community among them that did not exist before. Hawkins and Mihaljek (2001) identify the following motives for financial institution mergers: 1. Cost benefits (economies of scale, organisational efficiency, cost of funding, risk diversification, economising on capital); 2. Economic conditions (mergers after crises or during Received: July 14, 2017; revised: December 21, 2017; accepted: December 4, 2017 50 Organizacija, Volume 51 Research Papers Number 1, February 2018 an upswing of the business cycle); and other motives (private managerial benefits, defence against takeovers, etc.). The goal of the paper is to determine the level of concentration in the insurance sector in the eight selected countries of South and Eastern Europe (SEE): Serbia - SRB, Croatia - CRO, Bosnia and Herzegovina- BiH, Montenegro - MNE, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - FYRM, Romania - ROU, Bulgaria - BGR and Albania-ALB, with the comparable level of gross domestic product /GDP/ (CRO is exception) within the period 2007-2012. There are several reasons for analysing this time period. Firstly, the beginning of the analysed period is marked by the appearance and later with the expansion of the economic crisis spilled over from the United States of America (USA) to Europe. Secondly, in this economic environment, it is interesting to examine the approach in which the financial institutions, in particular insurance companies which represent the focus group, are going to fight with the negative effects of the crisis: will they increase their market shares in the countries in the region by opening new branches or will they focus on mergers and/ or acquisitions in order to maintain the leading position in the market? Thirdly, will the mergers of financial institution lead to a reduction of the total number of institutions operating in the region as well as increase a concentration level? The analysed period of six years was long enough to give an overview and evaluate changes related to the formation of appropriate control balance in certain markets. The research may also help in understanding the trends of concentration in the insurance sector in the future. The authors begin with the following assumptions and check the validity of the hypothetical statement in the empirical research: (H1): There is a high level of concentration in insurance sector in SEE region. Indicators: indicators of concentration: market share of the four leading financial institutions (CR4), Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Gini coefficient (G), coefficient of entropy (E), and the coefficient of relative entropy (RE) based on development criteria in insurance sector: total earned premiums, total earned non-life premiums and total earned life premiums. (H2): There are significant differences in the level of correlation between each of the analysed indicators of concentration in the insurance sector in selected countries of SEE. Indicators: indicators of concentration: CR4, HHI, G, E, RE based on development criteria in insurance sector: total earned premiums, total earned non-life premiums and total earned life premiums. (H3): The level of concentration in the insurance sector is poorly correlated with the level of economic development in the analysed SEE countries. Indicators: indicators of concentration: CR4, HHI, G, E, RE based on development criteria in insurance sector: total earned premiums, total earned non-life premiums, total earned life premiums and GDP per capita. Empirical and scientific studies in SEE region confirm that a market structure with its characteristics affects the behaviour of financial institutions, primarily the banking sector: their performance and mostly profitability (Kun-did et al., 2011; Curak et al., 2012; Athanasoglou et al., 2006). When it comes to the level of concentration in insurance sector in the region, Njegomir and Stojic (2011) are pioneers in analysing this market structure. The authors (Njegomir, & Stojic, 2011) examined the segment of nonlife insurance in 11 countries in Eastern Europe in the period 2004-2008. The results of the model indicate that a low level of concentration has a minor, but positive impact on profitability. However, as the market concentration increases on one side, it reduces the effect on profitability on the other side. So far conducted scientific and empirical research about the level of concentration in the insurance sector is mostly focused on analysing one of the SEE countries or their comparison with EU member states, as well as only individual indicators of concentration, usually HHI and CR4. The aim of the paper is to use multiple indicators of concentration as well as to determine and explain valid results of an empirical analysis of the concentration level in selected SEE countries. Furthermore, the projected methodological instruments and the concrete results of empirical research could have broader applications in finding adequate solutions against unwelcome market structures in the insurance sector. For the empirical research, authors have used the following resources for the period 2007-2012: • Serbia: National bank of Serbia (Insurance sector reports and Annual reports) • Croatia: Croatian insurance bureau (Insurance market in the Republic of Croatia) • Bosnia and Herzegovina: Insurance supervision agency (Statistics of insurance market) • Montenegro: Insurance supervision agency (Report on insurance market in Montenegro) • Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Insurance supervision agency (Report on the scope and content of the insurance operations) • Romania: Romanian Insurance Supervisory Commission (Annual report on the activity performed and the insurance market development) • Bulgaria: Financial Supervision Commission (Statistics: Markets - non-life insurance companies, Life insurance companies) • Albania: Albanian Financial Supervisory Authority (Insurance geography statistical report) 18 Organizacija, Volume 51 Research Papers Number 1, February 2018 2 Literature review Concentration is defined as a measure of subject participation in cumulative sales, assets or market share and it is usually determined by the number of companies in an industry and by their relative size (Zingales et al., 2003). Measurement of concentration in the banking sector is very specific due to the problem of identification of products and services traded (Miljkovic et al, 2013). In theory there are two directions to determine the mentioned relation, i.e. authors who proved and authors who didn't prove that relation. In the first group there are authors who believe that concentration and competitiveness are in negative relation, i.e. high level of concentration leads to a decrease of market competitiveness. Chamberlain, Hall and Hitch, and Sweezy showed that oligopoly markets can limit competitiveness (Kraft, 2007). Bikker and Haff (2001) proved on the basis of empirical research that there is high level of correlation between HH index and concentration ratio. We should not neglect the fact that foreign investors, when entering a new insurance market, are faced with a series of containing factors: undeveloped financial market, limits in presentation of new funds, big founding stakes in relation to European Union, low insurance culture and lack of confidence of the citizens in insurance institution. In addition, the inflow of foreign investments also depends on financial stability of a country and its credit rating, inflation and exchange rate movement (Dimic, 2015). The process of privatization of insurance companies in the region was carried out differently in the analyzed region. In that way, Croatia and Serbia have carefully entered this process and retained the ownership of the national insurance companies, which was not the case in Montenegro and Macedonia (Dimic, 2015). Very often the issue of justification of foreign investors' entrance to insurance market in financially undeveloped countries is brought about (Dimic et al, 2017). According to previous studies, there are several key advantages: development of life insurance, improvement of corporate management and risk management in business, improvement of service quality, introduction of new and high quality service packages, increase of health competition, strengthening of transparency in business, transfer of technological and managerial know-how, external funding sources. In scientific references there are divided attitudes when it comes to ownership transformation in financial sector. Thus one group of authors believe that high share of foreign ownership in total balance sum and insurance premium (or capital) can represent a great problem to the development of economy in the analyzed region of SEE. In addition to the growth of concentration level caused by merging of financial institutions, it is required to monitor the concentration level of each financial institution individually, as well as „mother" companies that affect the business policy of financial institutions in region through the administration and supervisory board. On the other hand, group of authors concludes that entrance of foreign insurance companies to financial market of the analyzed region has a positive effect on competition. In that context, entrance of foreign financial investors increases competition pressures (because it carries along new technologies and new knowledge) to the domestic financial system. Taking that into consideration, it is no wonder that in the last twenty years the share of foreign ownership in insurance sector was increased in the region analyzed. Although the increase of market concentration is the most frequent sign of dropping intensity of competitiveness, some studies (Beck et al, 2003) point out that greater presence of foreign financial mediators mitigates negative aspects of greater market concentration. 3 Explaining the research method Empirical research of concentration level in the insurance market is based on appropriate criteria of the development in the insurance sectors: total earned premiums, total earned non-life premiums and total earned life premiums. In this context, the mention criteria of the development are used as inputs for calculating the level of concentration: CR4, HHI, E, RE, G (Table 1). An empirical analysis of the concentration level in the insurance sector in the SEE region is based on the available data which are processed by using statistical software packages and tools: Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Data analysis aims to determine the level of each indicator of concentration in the insurance sector in the analysed countries as well as to calculate their variability in the period 20072012. At this point, empirical research was carried out in three steps: 1. Calculation of concentration indicators in the analysed countries by using three criteria of development in the insurance sectors as inputs; 2. Determination of the average value of the concentration indicator in each country in the analysed period as well as the weighted average value of the concentration indicator for the region in each one year. Having in mind that the different levels of total premiums, as well as premiums of life and non-life insurance, occur in the analysed countries, the weights are used as the share of indicators' total. 3. Determining statistical measures of variability (level of variability of the concentration indicators) by using the coefficient of variation as a relative measure of variability. In this context, authors analysed: dynamic changes (variability) of concentration levels by each country in the period 2007-2012 as well as changes (variability) of concentration levels between the countries analysed in each year. 19 Organizacija, Volume 51 Research Papers Number 1, February 2018 Table 1: Market concentration indicators. Source: Dumicic et al. 2012; Ljubaj, 2005 Indicator Marks and interval value Explenation of indicators' value Concentration ratio 1/n< C <1 — r— Index value is closer to 0 when tehre are a large number of firms with the similar market share. Index value is closer to 1 when the sum of ''n'' firms create a market. Herfindahl-Hirschman index 1/n