Leveraging digitalization to improve customer relationshipsand operational efficiency in the insurance sector :Case study “SAA’’

Abstract

This research investigates how digitalization enhances customer relationships and operational effic

iency within Algeria’s insurance sector, with a focused case study on the Société Algérienne d’Assurance (SAA). Adopting an interpretivist, abductive, and qualitative approach, the study analyzes data from semi-structured interviews with key SAA stakeholders, internal strategic documents including the Digital Roadmap, annual reports covering the period 2017–2023, and SAA’s internal customer satisfaction survey 2025. Findings reveal that digital initiatives such as the PGS claims platform and ERecours inter-insurer system have significantly accelerated service delivery, reduced administrative costs, and improved client satisfaction, exceeding 75%. However, progress is constrained by regulatory gaps, particularly the absence of legal recognition for electronic signatures, legacy IT infrastructure centred on the outdated ORASS system, and uneven digital adoption across client segments. The study confirms the theoretical sequencing from digitization through digitalization to full digital transformation, while demonstrating its contextual limitations within an emerging public-sector institutional setting. It further shows that digital maturity at SAA is not solely a technological endeavor but a socio-institutional process shaped by governance, inclusion, and public mandates. This research contributes a triadic model of digital transformation for emerging markets integrating technical feasibility, regulatory enabling, and social embedding, and offers practical insights for public insurers navigating digital change while balancing commercial and developmental objectives.