Examining the relationship between perceived behavioral control and purchasing intention toward health insurance with a moderating effect of demographics

PURPOSE: This study investigates the relationship between customers' intention to purchase health insurance in Northern India and perceived behavioral control (PBC), which is based on the decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB). Three core dimensions of PBC are identified: social influence, perceived ease of access and financial affordability, discovered through the use of exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The study further investigates how gender and marital status moderate these relationships to inform targeted marketing strategies. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Convenience sampling was used to gather primary data through an online poll with 400 participants. The three PBC dimensions were extracted and validated using EFA, and their direct impacts on purchase intention were then tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Moderation effects by marital status and gender were investigated using multi-group analysis (MGA), which produced strong t-statistics and p-values. FINDINGS: PLS-SEM reveals perceived ease of access is the best predictor of purchase intention (t = 6.070, p < 0.001), followed by social influence (t = 4.400, p < 0.001) and financial affordability (t = 5.486, p < 0.001). Financial affordability and social influence have a greater impact on women, whereas perceived ease of access had a greater impact on males, according to MGA, which shows significant gender-based moderation. These associations are also moderated by marital status; married people react more strongly to accessibility, whereas single people are more impacted by affordability and social influence. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: These results offer practical applications for lawmakers and insurance companies undertaking business in developing nations. The study makes recommendations for future longitudinal and cross-cultural research while acknowledging the drawbacks of convenience sampling and a cross-sectional approach. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study examines the dimensional structure of PBC in relation to health insurance purchase intention in a developing-nation situation by integrating PLS-SEM and EFA in a novel way inside the TPB framework. It fills a major vacuum in culturally nuanced consumer Behavior research in emerging nations and provides actionable data for insurers looking to segment their marketing strategies by revealing innovative moderations based on gender and marital status.