Factors influencing policyholders' acceptance of life settlements: a technology acceptance model

The most significant market for life settlements (LSs) is the U.S. LSs are not present in some European countries, such as Spain, and can therefore be seen as a novel and innovative financial service in those countries. This last consideration motivates this paper, which analyses the key factors, from the seller's perspective, for the development of a secondary life insurance market through LSs in Spain. To do so, we use consumer behaviour findings from academic research on the acceptance of new technologies and services. Our analysis is based on the technology acceptance model developed by Davis (MIS Q 13:319-340, 1989) and Venkatesh et al. (MIS Q 27:425-478, 2003) and it is adjusted by means of a partial least squares-structural equation modelling. The findings show that relevant variables for the use of LSs are performance expectancy, expected easiness and social influence constructs. Ethical problems are not relevant in the decision to accept LSs.