The purchases are usually small ticket insurance plans like Medi Shield CPF plans or a single premium investment CPF plan. The customers typically think that its no big deal since there's no out of pocket costs for these plans so no harm in switching.
Typically the roadshows are used for sales leads generation, so its very likely that you'll be receiving a followup call or two from your new agent, if you bought of left your contact info at the roadshow. The agent's compensation is commission based which therefore drives a very sales oriented behavior. Once they sell you a CPF single premium investment plan they might get 2-3% of the money you invest, while their manager would get another 1%. For Shield is would be in the range of 20% of the premium, staggered over couple of months. If you are considering switching Shield, its definitely worth checking first about the underwriting, the new insurer should take you on the same insurance rates plus no underwriting to make switching at least somewhat attractive.
I guess there's also something to be said about coming to consumers, like in the case of all these roadshows. However, it does beg a question, if insurance was such a compelling product, why does industry have to be so agressive in selling it? For example coming back from CBD today I came across two insurance road shows, one in China town station by AXA and another one in Dhoby Gbaut station by Pru.
