HEALTH OFFERS NEW LIFELINE TO
INCLUSIVE INSURANCE MARKET

Global Report Into Microinsurance Reveals Post-Pandemic Surge in Health Insurance is Key to Greater Provision in Emerging Economies

A significant surge in the global demand for health insurance across the world’s emerging economies offers ‘the most significant market and ESG opportunity in decades’ for insurers, according to the international body representing the global microinsurance sector.

According to the findings of the Microinsurance Network’s Landscape of Microinsurance Study 2021 – the only report which captures and evaluates global trends and opportunities within inclusive insurance markets globally – the COVID-19 pandemic has led to identified demand for health insurance for low-income communities, with more than 104 million people now covered globally, in a surge that sees the opportunity for health provision eclipsing the former leading services of life and personal accident insurance.

As a result of the report, which features insight and data from more than 200 insurers across Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, insurance providers are being urged to review their inclusive insurance offerings in order to tap into the commercial opportunities presented, whilst supporting some of the world’s most vulnerable communities and economies with enhanced protection through insurance.

The report shows up to 377 million people are now covered by a microinsurance product in the 30 countries included in the data, with health by far the most popular product, followed by personal accident (36 million), life (29 million) and credit life/loan protection (18 million). However, these figures still represent only 5% of the global population, showing the opportunities for insurers across the world.

The growth in health microinsurance has also been supported by a range of new services to support customers’ changing needs and ability to access and pay for products, including health education and telemedicine. There has also been a rise in digital platforms, such as ride-hailing applications and e-commerce platforms, delivering health insurance and reaching millions of new clients with coverage which can be bundled with existing services.

Micro or inclusive insurance products are developed specifically to serve the needs of the low-income population, with cover working towards profitability or at least sustainability. The Microinsurance Network is a not-for-profit association of 70 institutions and 450 experts across more than 60 countries committed to delivering inclusive insurance for billions of people worldwide. Its annual Landscape Report, the only study of its kind, shows the impact targeted products can have for the billions of households and small businesses across the world, still struggling without any form of insurance safety net.

The report is launching at this year’s International Conference on Inclusive Insurance (25-29 October), hosted by the Microinsurance Network and the Munich Re Foundation, where more than 1,000 experts from some 100 countries will discuss and identify ways of accelerating growth and economic viability in inclusive insurance for emerging markets, including the impact products have on everything from climate change to digital health solutions.

Katharine Pulvermacher, Executive Director of the Microinsurance Network, said: “The report shows the huge impact COVID-19 has had on insurers and low-income communities as the pandemic has heightened awareness of the risk of not being insured, driving up significant demand for health insurance. This shift presents the biggest opportunity for the sector in decades.

“Whilst for many years, life insurance has been the starter product for insurance providers moving into the inclusive insurance market, we can see this has now been taken over by health policies in many countries, presenting a huge opportunity for insurers looking to enter the sector. For example, in Mexico only one in ten licenced insurers were identified as active in inclusive insurance. In Pakistan, Jamaica, Cambodia and Bangladesh, less than 20% were identified as active in the segment. We are encouraging those looking to enter the market to engage with us and the insights of our members to take advantage of the market opportunity, whilst ensuring as many people as possible have access to insurance when they need it most.”

Luxembourg’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Franz Fayot said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the real need for health insurance in emerging markets across the world, and the impact inclusive insurance products can have for those who still have little social protection in their communities. It is important we continue to monitor the changing face of the microinsurance landscape and look at new ways we can continue to support developing countries as we move towards improving resilience for all.”

Garance Wattez-Richard, Head of AXA Emerging Customers and a member of the Microinsurance Network, said: “The 2021 Landscape of Microinsurance is a call to action for the sector to make protection more accessible, affordable and relevant to those who need it the most. I invite insurers, large and small, local and international, experts and newcomers in inclusive insurance, to not only read this report but to also take part in the next edition of this annual barometer to obtain an ever more comprehensive landscape.”

Download a copy of the 2021 Landscape of Microinsurance Study, available from Monday, 25 October here.

ENDS
For enquiries please contact Rebecca Jackson at Definition (Rebecca.jackson@definitionagency.com / 0113 819 7345)

Note to Editors

The Landscape of Microinsurance Study 2021 includes information from microinsurance markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, with 224 insurers providing self-reported product-level data on their microinsurance products covering a 12-month period – either the calendar year 2020 or a 12-month period of the insurer’s choice between 2020 and 2021, where the company’s standard reporting periods made it easier for data to be provided in that way.

About the Microinsurance Network (MiN)

The Microinsurance Network is the global multi-stakeholder platform for professionals and organisations that are committed to making insurance inclusive. Membership-based, we bring together diverse stakeholders from across the value chain who share our vision of a world where people of all income levels are more resilient and less vulnerable to daily and catastrophic risks. We encourage peer-to-peer exchange and learning, facilitate the generation of knowledge and research, and act as advocates, promoting the role that effective risk management tools, including insurance, play in supporting the broader development agenda.