The Access to Insurance Initiative is a new collaborative approach between international development agencies and insurance supervisors through the IAIS. This global programme is designed to strengthen the capacity and understanding of insurance supervisors, and to facilitate their role in expanding access to insurance markets. The expected outcome is to contribute towards an improved policy, regulatory and supervisory environment consistent with international insurance standards, encourage investment in the insurance sector, and develop sustainable microinsurance operations in emerging markets.

The goal of the Initiative is to enhance broad?based, demand?oriented and sustainable access to insurance for low?income clients; thereby growing financial inclusion in the insurance sphere.
The Initiative is a global program to

• strengthen the capacity and understanding of insurance supervisors, regulators and
  policymakers;
• facilitate their role as key drivers in expanding access to insurance markets; and
• support the implementation of sound policy, regulatory and supervisory frameworks
  consistent with international standards.

The Initiative’s main activities are to:

• generate knowledge and learning;
• disseminate this knowledge and build awareness;
• support training initiatives;
• engage insurance supervisors, regulators and policymakers in mutual dialogue;
• catalyze pilot projects for national implementation;
• support insurance supervisors to leverage an industry wide change process;
• contribute to the IAIS processes of standard setting and guidance.

Cenfri is represented on the Advisory Committee of the A2ii (as FinMark’s representative). The Advisory Committee determines the strategy for the A2ii. During the final IAIS conference the A2ii Governing Board was finalized. FinMark is directly represented on the Governing Board by Maya Makajee (CEO, Finmark), and Jonathan Dixon (Deputy Executive Officer: Insurance, South African Financial Services Board) was nominated as Chair person. Both Cenfri and FinMark participated in the launch in Rio.