What's new

• Global stocktaking of impact assessments of microinsurance in progress
  The Impact Working Group of the Microinsurance Network intends to map ongoing impact assessments of microinsurance. The Working Group was set up in 2007 and focuses on the impact of microinsurance on the client, especially in terms of financial protection and livelihoods. Organisations that are conducting impact evaluations of microinsurance are invited to fill out the short Stocktaking Initiative Form - (doc 58 KB) and return it to theresa@mia.org.in. Participating projects will be listed in a regularly updated online listing and in a brief note circulated among interested donors.
• Grants Officer
  Reporting to the Chief Project Manager, the Grant Officer is responsible for reviewing proposals for innovation grants and capacity building services, preparing and issuing contracts, and monitoring contract performance. The officer will collaborate with the Senior Grants Officer and other team members in documenting lessons learned from grant recipients. The Microinsurance Innovation Facility encourages persons with relevant insurance expertise to apply their skills to solving key microinsurance challenges, which include managing huge volumes of small policies, marketing insurance to persons with limited education, collecting premiums from people without bank accounts, controlling adverse selection, moral hazard and fraud, and verifying and paying small claims. Interested applicants should have a first level university (Master being preferred) degree in economics, finance or actuarial science, social science, international studies or other relevant field, at least five years of professional experience in the insurance industry, two years experience working in developing countries with low-income households, and familiarity with grant making processes.
  The deadline for applying is 16 November 2009. Go to the ILO's vacancy page and apply online.
• How Index Insurance can support climate change adaptation
  Pranav Prashad, from the Facility, recently joined a panel of experts on Index Insurance at the World Climate Conference 3. The conference aimed to establish an international framework for the development of climate services, linking science-based climate predictions with climate-risk management and adaptation. Weather based Index Insurance can be used by farmers in the developing world to insure their crops against increasingly unreliable weather patterns caused by climate change. Panelists from around the world shared their experiences from this growing field of microinsurance and discussed the potential of index insurance as an adaptation mechanism for climate change.
  Audio recordings of the presentations by Mr Prashad and Mr GE Heyou, of the Guoyuan Agricultural Insurance Company, China, are now available, highlighting the role of Index Insurance in India and in China. Mr Heyou's presentation is available in English and Chinese.

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