One million is the ideal number of life insurance agents needed to serve the population of Indonesia totalling 250 million, according to the Indonesian Life Insurance Association (AAJI).
At the end of March 2017, there were 560,000 agents, short of a target of 650,000 agents by the end of 2016, said AAJI.
AAJI General Chairman Hendrisman Rahim said that while the use of digital technology in the insurance industry has affected the functions of insurance agents, it will not undermine the need for agents.
"In remote parts of the country, insurance is a product that is sold, not purchased. For at least the next five years, there will still be a need for agents," he said at a recent insurance conference.
There are some things that machines cannot do. One is building a rapport with prospective policyholders because life insurance products are products related to the human condition, he said.
However, digital technology has helped to increase insurance penetration. With the development of technology, marketing insurance products can be easier, as well as more effective and efficient, he added.
Total life premium income in 2017 increased by 17.2% to IDR195.72 trillion (US$13.7 billion) compared to 2016. Growth was driven by higher public awareness of insurance and the incessant efforts of life insurers in getting closer to customers, according to AAJI data.
Follow Asia Advisers Network on facebook and subscribe to the free weekly newsletter.