Catastrophic Microinsurance in Central America
Central America is a natural disasters prone region where large vulnerable populations suffer over-proportionately from increasing frequency and impact of climate change events, as traditional disaster coping mechanisms are eroding with growing environmental pressures and rising urbanisation. The public-private development partnership with Swiss Re, FOMIN, and KfW’s Climate Adaptation Fund supports MiCRO in strengthening the disaster resilience of at least 80’000 vulnerable households by 30.9.2016.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Central America |
Employment & economic development Climate change and environment
Informal banking & insurance
Disaster risk reduction DRR Environmental policy |
01.03.2013
- 31.03.2022 |
CHF 6’700’000
|
- The ultimate direct beneficiaries are vulnerable low-income households who are clients of the 2-3 pilot MFIs. These clients are micro or small (mostly informal) entrepreneurs who have borrowed for their business activities being the basis for the livelihood of their households.
- Direct beneficiaries are the 2-3 pilot MFIs, 2-3 first insurers, and MiCRO.
- Institutions in target areas offer and sell effective, relevant and efficient quality of MiCRO’s catastrophe insurance products to at least 80’000 low-income MFI clients (outreach).
- Low-income households use less negative coping strategies (if struck by natural disasters) due to catastrophe insurance coverage.
- Vulnerable low-income households are less exposed to natural disaster risks due to adopted DRR measures.
- Establishing the risk mapping and risk modelling systems indicating the likely operational and future commercial feasibility of MiCRO’s catastrophe insurance products in Central America.
- Lessons learnt from the difficulties encountered by Fonkoze in Haiti in offering catastrophe insurance to its active borrowers.
- Redcamif is committed to partner as Third Party Insurance Administrator (i.e. offering insurance management ser-vices, notably claims management & settlement).
- Foreign private sector South/East
- MiCRO is the project implementation partner, being a licensed re-insurance company registered in Barbados. Swiss Re bringing in the required (re)insurance expertise and running MiCRO through seconded CEO since 8/2013. KfW’s Climate Insurance Fund structuring SDC’s ‘capitalisation’ funds in MiCRO. The Climate Insurance Fund will nominate a Board member for MiCRO. FOMIN co-funding the “TA & Capacity Building” component and bringing in its network with MFIs and governments.
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Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS
GENERAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Formal sector financial intermediaries
Informal and semi-formal financial intermediaries
Disaster prevention and preparedness
Environmental policy and administrative management
Cross-cutting topics The project takes account of gender equality as a cross-cutting theme.
The project takes account of democratisation, good governance and human rights as cross-cutting themes.
Type of support Official development assistance (ODA)
Type of collaboration Bilateral cooperation
Finance type Aid grant
Aid Type Project and programme contribution
Tied/untied aid Untied aid
Project number 7F08679
Background |
Insurance can be an effective risk management tool - combined with disaster risk reduction (DRR) and financial education - for vulnerable households to recover and resume their productive activities when struck by natural disasters. The faster they receive insurance pay-outs, the less they are forced - as in the case of slow and uncertain relief operations - to revert to negative coping strategies, such as selling off assets at distress, depleting their savings, and becoming over-indebted to money-lenders. |
Objectives |
Reduction of vulnerability to natural disasters (i.e. hurricanes, earthquakes, and excess rainfall) of low-income households in Central America thereby reducing their risk of falling into a poverty trap, if hit by natural disasters. |
Target groups |
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Medium-term outcomes |
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Results |
Results from previous phases: |
Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
Credit area |
Development cooperation |
Project partners |
Contract partner Private sector |
Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 6’700’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 6’715’492 |
Project phases |
Phase 1 01.03.2013 - 31.03.2022 (Completed) |