Resources on social finance

  1. Publication

    Briefing Note #6: Formalizing the informal insurance inherent in migration

    01 January 2011

    In our increasingly global economy, labor continues to be a major export commodity for many developing countries. Migration can help families mitigate their risks by increasing overall income levels and diversifying income sources. Yet, many migrants tend to find themselves in positions of vulnerability in their host countries without any access to social safety nets. Emergencies can, thus, quickly erode any savings or assets that the migrant has. Migrant-linked insurance products can help transnational families manage their risks and protect their assets. Briefing Note #6 explores the existing and potential links between migration, remittances and insurance. It provides a mapping of migration-linked microinsurance products, a framework for how to think about them, and an outline of the opportunities and challenges for microinsurers interested in developing products for this market segment.

  2. Publication

    Investing in solutions: A practical guide for the use of microfinance in UNHCR operations

    01 January 2011

    This guide informs potential managers and implementers of livelihood programmes (programme staff, field staff, protection officers, senior managers) on the use of microfinance as part of a broader livelihoods strategy. The policy framework specifically addresses UNHCR decision-makers. The guide builds upon UNHCR and the ILO's work "Introduction to microfinance in conflict-affected communities" (2002) and "Lessons learned from UNHCR’s experiences with microfinance" (2010), as well as evolving practices in the field of microfinance. The guide provides practical information and tools to assess the appropriateness of microfinance in a conflict-affected community and to design sustainable microfinance interventions that will help UNHCR to meet its objectives. The guide includes concrete tools to help design, monitor and evaluate sustainable microfinance projects, including sample templates, formats and checklists.

  3. Publication

    Briefing Note #5: Innovations and barriers in health microinsurance

    01 October 2010

    The emergence of health microinsurance (HMI) programmes worldwide provides hope that the poor will receive, at a minimum, a reliable, adequate level of access to affordable healthcare. Led by the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and the ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility, Briefing Note #5, which is based on a longer thematic study that includes a literature review of 68 documents covering the period from 1999 to 2010 and expert interviews with more than 31 experts representing 25 organizations, focuses on private sector HMI and discusses the challenges that limit the growth and impact of HMI. In addition to identifying barriers to success, the authors present innovations that may move the field forward, including collaboration with public programmes.

  4. Publication

    Briefing Note #3: Emerging practices in consumer education on risk management and insurance

    01 September 2010

    Consumer education can be one important component of microinsurance schemes; it benefits microinsurance practitioners by stimulating demand and helps low-income households make informed decisions. Led by ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility, Briefing Note #3 summarizes feedback collected by the Microinsurance Network's Insurance Education Working Group from more than fifty practitioners who were early implementers of consumer education schemes. The authors highlight key design features for content and delivery of education and provide examples of organizations that have successfully implemented the features in consumer education programmes. In the last section, they review the challenges of sustainability and monitoring and evaluation that are especially relevant for practitioners who want to integrate education into their business models.

  5. Publication

    Briefing Note #4: The psychology of microinsurance: Small changes can make a surprising difference

    01 September 2010

    One important lesson from behavioural economics is the understanding that small changes in the design of products and marketing can sometimes make a surprising difference in how and whether financial products are used. Led by the Financial Access Initiative, Briefing Note #4 presents laboratory and field research examples from the field of behavioural economics to provide eight recommendations for microinsurance providers. The authors describe new insights into how households think about losses and gains, weigh present and future tradeoffs, struggle with self-control, and are influenced by the way choices are framed. These insights can help insurers navigate how to improve product design, marketing, insurance education, pricing, and take-up.

  6. Publication

    Impact Insurance Working Paper #5: The psychology of microinsurance: Small changes can make a surprising difference

    01 September 2010

    One important lesson from behavioural economics is the understanding that small changes in the design of products and marketing can sometimes make a surprising difference in how and whether financial products are used. Led by the Financial Access Initiative, Microinsurance Paper #5 presents laboratory and field research examples from the field of behavioural economics to provide eight recommendations for microinsurance providers. The authors describe new insights into how households think about losses and gains, weigh present and future tradeoffs, struggle with self-control, and are influenced by the way choices are framed. These insights can help insurers navigate how to improve product design, marketing, insurance education, pricing, and take-up.

  7. Publication

    Impact Insurance Working Paper #6: Innovations and barriers in health microinsurance

    01 September 2010

    The emergence of health microinsurance (HMI) programmes worldwide provides hope that the poor will receive, at a minimum, a reliable, adequate level of access to affordable healthcare. Led by the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and the ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility, this paper includes a literature review of 68 documents covering the period from 1999 to 2010 and expert interviews with more than 31 experts representing 25 organizations. It focuses on private sector HMI and discusses the challenges that limit the growth and impact of HMI. In addition to identifying barriers to success, the authors present innovations that may move the field forward, including collaboration with public programmes.