Resource Type: Case Studies
Authors: Health Finance and Governance (HFG)
Published: 10/31/2015

Resource Description:

This case study is one of 14 case studies profiled in the Mobile Money for Health Case Study Compendium.

MicroEnsure is a social business that designs and delivers high-impact insurance products to provide financial risk-protection for poor and underserved populations. As of June 2013, the company covered more than 4.5 million clients across 13 countries in Africa and Asia, oftentimes partnering with private and not-for-profit sectors to deliver insurance products to mass-market consumers. In May 2010, MicroEnsure partnered with Tigo, a mobile network provider, to develop a life insurance product for the network’s subscribers in Ghana. The partnership quickly expanded to Tanzania. MicroEnsure’s efforts to build awareness about the value of insurance among its rapidly expanding client network helped to create ambassadors, thereby setting the stage for health insurance. Initially launched in Dar es Salaam, within the first year, tens of  thousands of memberships were sold and the product was expanded to other regions in Tanzania, making it the fastest-growing health insurance product in East Africa over the past year. MicroEnsure uses mobile money transfers for claims payments. With Tigo Cash, they can pay claims to subscribers within minutes of claims submission and anywhere in Tanzania.