Assessing the success of microinsurance programmes in meeting the insurance needs of the poor

Paul Mosley

Working Papers from United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs

Abstract: The paper reviews attempts to provide insurance against risks afflicting the poorest. It presents empirical evidence on the impact of different types of microinsurance, and recommends the idea of ‘quasi-insurance’—the provision of insurance functions through a non-insurance route—where institutional or regulatory constraints prevent insurance proper from being offered. The paper argues that microinsurance so far has been somewhat supply-driven rather than driven by effective demand, especially from the poorest, and thus the insurance products which would benefit the poorest are still at a limited stage of development. Institutional innovations and new insurance products therefore deserve promotion.

Keywords: microinsurance; microcredit; microsavings; microfinance; risk; insecurity; poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G21 G22 O16 O17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2009-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-ias and nep-mfd
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:une:wpaper:84

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