Preliminary Donor Guidelines for Supporting Microinsurance

Publication Date: 2003
Published by: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Document Type: Paper (PDF)

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How can donors be more effective in microinsurance?

These guidelines are for donors who may receive requests to support initiatives in the relatively new field of microinsurance. They steer donors through the decision-making and monitoring process associated with microinsurance project management. The Preliminary Donor Guidelines are a work in progress, as is the practice of microinsurance. For this reason, the guidelines are not intended to promote microinsurance, but to offer a strong note of caution.

The guidelines are organised into three sections to assist donors in the following key areas:

1. Intervention strategies: The first section considers the different objectives that donors may have in supporting microinsurance, and then reviews the types of interventions that are most appropriate: technical assistance, financial support, and facilitating linkages.
2. Characteristics of success: Once the strategy is set, the second section provides guidance on what characteristics of successful insurers. This section consists primarily of four tables that summarise the minimum, preferred and optimum status of organisations seeking donor support for microinsurance.
3. Monitoring: The final section offers a structure and rationale for monitoring microinsurance programmes.