Now reading: The future of microinsurance regulation in South Africa

Microinsurance and Health Financing


Microinsurance refers to the provision of insurance to lower-income households. If appropriately designed and intermediated, insurance products can play an important role in reducing vulnerability for low-income households as well as presenting profitable markets for commercial insurance providers. In addition, ensuring well-functioning health financing systems is a critical element of development policy and the delivery of health services.

We’ve done extensive work on the regulation and development of microinsurance and health financing markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Financial Inclusion

The future of microinsurance regulation in South Africa

This South African National Treasury discussion paper on microinsurance sets out the proposed new approach to the regulation of microinsurance. The proposed approach seeks to balance the need for consumer protection with financial inclusion and reduce the impact of the cost of regulation on the market. It also proposes changes to the way

Financial Inclusion

Opportunities and challenges for the development of microinsurance in Ethiopia

Conducted for the International Labour Organization (ILO) and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) this Cenfri research project reviews the opportunities and challenges for microinsurance emerging from the regulatory, supply-side and demand-side characteristics of the Ethiopian microinsurance market. The purpose is to create a detailed picture of the microinsurance landscape that can serve as basis

Financial Inclusion

Making insurance markets work for the poor

To support the development of microinsurance markets a project was launched under the auspices of the International association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS)-Microinsurance Network (MIN) Joint Working Group on Microinsurance (JWGMII) aimed at mapping the experience of five developing countries – Colombia, India, the Philippines, South Africa and Uganda – where

Financial Inclusion

Making health insurance work for the low-income market in South Africa

This 2009 study identifies the main drivers of health insurance costs in South Africa, as well as strategies that could be used to reduce these costs to support the inclusion of low-income earners.   Study tour of South African branchless and mobile banking sector By request of the Pakistani Microfinance

Financial Inclusion

Demand-side analysis of medical schemes market in South Africa

In the early 2000s, South Africa achieved remarkable progress in the area of financial inclusion for lower-income households, specifically in the banking and, to a lesser degree, insurance markets. Limited progress had been made in expanding medical schemes (government’s chosen vehicle for private health financing) to more South Africans. While

Financial Inclusion

Microinsurance development in Zambia: A market and regulatory analysis

This 2009 study considers the opportunities and challenges for microinsurance development in Zambia. It develops a comprehensive understanding of the market on which strategies for the development of microinsurance in Zambia could be based. The analysis included a review of the demand-side, supply-side and regulatory dimensions of the microinsurance market

Financial Inclusion

Opportunities and challenges for the intermediation of microinsurance in South Africa

South Africa is faced with the challenge of extending insurance products to low-income individuals. At the time of the research the insurance sector had started to act upon this realisation by re-examining the insurance needs of low-income households. This change in focus was triggered by a number of factors, including

Financial Inclusion

Regulatory review of formal and informal funeral insurance markets in South Africa

The need to provide for funerals is one of the key drivers of financial behaviour for many South Africans and has led to a relatively sophisticated and widely accessed informal financial sector. Informal savings groups play an important role in mitigating the risks of low-income households and are often complemented