"This comprehensive compendium comes at a key moment, as funders, governments, microfinance institutions and even commercial insurers are increasingly interested in insurance services for low-income people. Peppered with examples from over 20 case studies, this essential guide combines in-depth analysis with readability, a remarkable achievement on a topic of critical importance to improving the lives of the poor."
Elisabeth Littlefield, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)

"...enables policymakers, insurers, academics and NGOs an opportunity to study the various initiatives taken in different countries and profit from these experiences. I congratulate the publishers for bringing out this excellent compendium."
C.S. Rao, Chairman, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, India

"This compendium provides an invaluable summation of the state of the art and will hopefully encourage people with relevant skills and unfettered minds to look at what they can contribute to grassroots risk management."
Rodney Lester, Program Director, Financial Markets for Social Safety Net, The World Bank

This authoritative compendium brings together the latest thinking of leading academics, actuaries, and insurance and development professionals in the microinsurance field. The result is a practical, wide-ranging resource which provides the most thorough overview of the subject to date.

The book allows readers to benefit from the valuable lessons learned from a project launched by the CGAP Working Group on Microinsurance to analyse operations around the world. Essential reading for insurance professionals, practitioners and anyone involved with offering insurance to low-income persons, this volume covers the many aspects of microinsurance in detail including product design, marketing, premium collection and governance.

It also discusses the various institutional arrangements available for delivery such as the community-based approach, insurance companies owned by networks of savings and credit cooperatives and microfinance institutions. The roles of key stakeholders are also explored and the book offers insightful strategies for achieving the right balance between coverage, costs and price.