01 March 2014 - By Richard Koven, Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman, Danielle Sobol, Laura Budzyna

Balancing value and business goals often challenges insurance providers. In an effort to better understand how profitability and client value complement one another, and how they conflict, the MILK team conducted extensive research on health microinsurance in Kenya.

20 February 2014 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

Lea esta versión “condensada” de MILK Brief #28: "Sacando los cálculos" Microseguros de salud para mujeres en Guatemala que está disponible aquí en el sitio web del MicroInsurance Centre (Centro de microseguros).

09 January 2014 - By Danielle Sobol, Laura Budzyna, Barbara Magnoni

By supporting and diversifying income, remittances have potential to be a valuable tool in coping with risk, acting as a form of informal “insurance” for recipients.

02 January 2014 - By Richard Koven, John Wipf, Emily Zimmerman, Michael J. McCord

In its study of the profitability of life microinsurance in the Philippines, the MILK Project found a strong and unambiguous business case for both insurers and distributors.

27 November 2013 - By Emily Zimmerman, Barbara Magnoni, Michael J. McCord

This paper brings together lessons about the value that products provide to clients, exploring nuances around when, how, and to what degree.

15 November 2013 - By Elizabeth McGuinness

Uplift India Association is a mutual-based, community-managed health microinsurance program serving poor and low-income families living in the slums of Pune and Mumbai, India.

08 November 2013

This "condensed" version of Microinsurance Lessons from History provides an overview of the key lessons for microinsurance arising from the unique look at the history of insurance markets in developed countries.

01 November 2013 - By Emily Zimmerman, Barbara Magnoni, Michael J. McCord

Comparing the premium paid to the benefit received suggests that the five life microinsurance products  that we studied all had similar value, but a more careful analysis of the “math” and context reveals that they had very different value to clients, and that their value emerged in different ways.

01 November 2013 - By Emily Zimmerman, Barbara Magnoni, Michael J. McCord

Falling ill and seeking healthcare entails a wide range of costs, all of which can be significant for low income households, and all of which can contribute to a person’s decision to avoid or delay seeking care.

01 November 2013 - By Emily Zimmerman, Barbara Magnoni, Michael J. McCord

The costs of flood damage to small businesses and low-income households are devastating.

29 October 2013 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni

In rural Guatemala, as in much of the world, women often attend to their own health needs only after their many family responsibilities and financial priorities have been taken care of.

28 October 2013 - By George Zanjani, Richard Koven

On a number of fronts, microinsurance providers wrestle with challenges associated with delivering financial protection to the poor. Developing insurance products, marketing methods and needs of the poor in developing countries has proved challenging.

09 October 2013 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni, Michael J. McCord

The MILK team partnerned with the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (CARD MBA), to study the client value of its life microinsurance using the Client Math methodology.

29 September 2013 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni

This handy, twopage document presents key findings from this case study as well as a onepage overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

04 June 2013 - By Richard Koven, Taara Chandani, Denis Garand

The MicroInsurance Centre’s MILK project studied a group of both private and publically-supported health microinsurance programs (HMIs) in India to determine if a business case is evolving.

10 May 2013 - By Richard Koven, Xavier Martin, Nick Winkleblack

MILK's latest brief provides an overview of our business case work in Colombia, focusing on the experience of the insurer MAPFRE, which reflects these trends with significant growth in its Colombiabased life microinsurance business.

03 May 2013 - By Laura Budzyna, Taara Chandani

In its latest Client Math study, MILK partnered with the Cambodian microinsurance provider MEADA to explore the value of a life microinsurance product that combines loan protection with a small cash payout in the even of a microcredit borrower's death.

01 May 2013 - By Richard Koven, Michael J. McCord

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

15 April 2013 - By Jonathan Bauchet , Emily Zimmerman, Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

Aunque diferentes estudios han explorado la demanda de productos de microseguro, los factores que influyen en la decisión de compra de un microseguro de vida continúan sin conocerse, así como tampoco aquellos que influyen en su retención.

25 February 2013 - By Laura Budzyna, Taara Chandani

In its latest Client Math study, MILK partnered with the Cambodian microinsurance provider MEADA to explore the value of a life microinsurance product that combines loan protection with a small cash payout in the even of a microcredit borrower's death.

14 February 2013 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman

In this latest MILK Brief, the Client Math team draws out insights from across multiple Client Math studies.

11 February 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

The MILK Project partnered with MAPFRE Colombia in the department of Magdalena, using its Client Math methodology to explore the value proposition of a comprehensive property microinsurance policy for borrowers of the MFI Fundación delamujer.

11 February 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Laura Budzyna

The MILK project partnered with MicroEnsure and TSKI to better understand the value of the calamity insurance for TSKI’s clients who made claims on this insurance after this devastating event.

07 February 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman, Michal Matul, Miguel Jose Solana

In 2012, the Haitian microfinance institution Fonkoze partnered with the ILO’s Microinsurance Innovation Facility and the MicroInsurance Centre’s MILK Project to use two tools – MILK’s Client Math tool and the Facility’s PACE tool.

28 January 2013 - By Richard Koven, Michael J. McCord

Is there a business case for microinsurance intermediation? The MicroInsurance Centre’s MILK project is exploring this question by studying the commercial viability of three microinsuranceonly multinational intermediaries: MicroEnsure, PlanetGuarantee, and AKAM.

24 January 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Laura Budzyna, Danielle Sobol, Emily Zimmerman

In this Brief, the MILK project’s Client MATH team explores the value that Tanzania’s KNCU Health Plan offers its clients. The KNCU Health Plan is a collaborative effort of the multinational microinsurance intermediary MicroEnsure, the Dutch NGO PharmAccess, and the Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union.

18 January 2013 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni

Lea esta versión "condensada" de MILK Brief #16: "Doing the Math" Life Microinsurance in Mexico que está disponible aquí en el sitio web del MicroInsurance Centre (Centro de microseguros).

18 January 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

Lea esta versión “condensada” de Informe de MILK #18: “Sacando los cálculos” con el microseguro daños a propiedad en la costa de Colombiaque está disponible aquí en el sitio web del MicroInsurance Centre (Centro de microseguros).

17 January 2013

Lea esta versión “condensada" de MILK RCT Protegiendo a aquellos que dejamos detrás: Estudio experimental de las prestatarias de Compartamos Banco, en México, sobre decisiones de compra del microseguro de vida que está disponible aquí en el sitio web del MicroInsurance Centre (Centro de microseguros).

17 January 2013 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni

The Brief explores financial value by examining how the product helps low-income families cope with the financial consequences of a death and how the insurance product fits into the range of tools available to those families.

14 January 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Laura Budzyna

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

11 January 2013 - By Barbara Magnoni, Laura Budzyna, Jonathan Bauchet

MILK partnered with the microfinance institution Fonkoze to explore the value of its Kore W catastrophe insurance in helping clients cope with the consequences of a flood.

05 January 2013 - By Laura Budzyna, Taara Chandani, Barbara Magnoni

In this brief, MILK Project Client Math team partnered with Hygeia Community Health Care to analyze the value of its product for clients with chronic disease, specifically hypertension.

01 January 2013 - By Richard Koven, Michael J. McCord

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

08 October 2012 - By Richard Koven, Michael J. McCord, John Wipf, Emily Zimmerman

Life microinsurance has grown quickly and is well established throughout the Philippines, and as a result, the business case is widely assumed to be strong. The MILK project is working to test the accuracy of this assumption.

01 October 2012 - By Richard Koven, Michael J. McCord, John Wipf, Emily Zimmerman

Life microinsurance has grown quickly and is well established throughout the Philippines, and as a result, the business case is widely assumed to be strong. The MILK project is working to test the accuracy of this assumption.

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

Lea esta versión “condensada” de MILK Brief #8: "Sacando los cálculos " Microseguro exequial en Colombia que está disponible aquí en el sitio web del MicroInsurance Centre (Centro de microseguros).

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Laura Budzyna

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Jonathan Bauchet , Emily Zimmerman, Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

This "condensed" version is a summary of the full report on this project. MILK studied the demand for a life microinsurance product offered to over 1.8 million clients of Compartamos Banco in Mexico with a randomized control trial (RCT).

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Taara Chandani, Emily Zimmerman

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Taara Chandani

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman, Taara Chandani

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton, Emily Zimmerman, Birgit Schubert

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

01 October 2012 - By Derek Poulton, Barbara Magnoni

This handy, two-page document presents key findings from this case study as well as a one-page overview of the MILK Project and its publications.

08 August 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton, Emily Zimmerman, Birgit Schubert

For this brief, the MILK team partnered with the global microinsurance broker MicroEnsure and the microfinance institution Taytay Sa Kauswagan Inc.

31 July 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

En septiembre del 2011, MILK se asoció con MAPFRE Colombia en Bogotá para estudiar de qué manera se veían afectados desde el punto de vista financiero tanto aquellos que tenían póliza de "Seguro Exequial" 2 MAPFRE CODENSA como aquellos que no la tenían ante la muerte de un miembro de la familia.

18 July 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman, Taara Chandani

The MILK project collaborated with Grameen Koota, a microfinance institution based in the State of Karnataka, India, to study its voluntary health insurance program.

29 June 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Taara Chandani

The MILK project partnered with the global insurance intermediary MicroEnsure to study the extent to which a health microinsurance product covering inpatient care offered value to clients in terms of reduced spending and improved access.

06 June 2012 - By Richard Koven, Michael J. McCord

Keeping an accurate count of covered lives is important for measuring the scale and impact of a microinsurance program, and different approaches can lead to drastically different counts.

30 May 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Taara Chandani, Emily Zimmerman

In January 2012 the MILK Project designed a Client Math study in partnership with MicroEnsureGhana and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). 

06 April 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Michael J. McCord, Emily Zimmerman

MILK’s “Client Math” methodology aims to address some of these open questions about the value of microinsurance.

24 February 2012 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton

In September 2011 the MILK team partnered with MAPFRE Colombia in Bogota to study how policyholders and non-policyholders of MAPFRE’s CODENSA “Seguro Exequial” funeral insurance policy cope financially with the death of a family member. 

11 January 2012 - By Michael J. McCord, Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman

Why should low-income people buy insurance? The quick answer is, of course; because they need it. Studies from across the developing world have confirmed this need for financial risk management tools.

28 October 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni, Richard Koven

One of the principal questions MILK seeks to answer is: Does microinsurance help protect people from large shocks (high cost events) in comparison to other alternatives?

28 October 2011 - By Karlijn Morsink, Peter Geurts, Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman

This brief provides a structure to support decisions about appropriate research designs to answer questions about the value microinsurance has to clients.

28 October 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni, Derek Poulton, Emily Zimmerman

The MILK Project has reviewed some of the data from the Microinsurance Innovation Facility's market study of BanRural clients in Guatemala in order to develop a better understanding of the health financing alternatives available to poor women in Guatemala.

23 September 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman

Poor households use a variety of tools to cope with risk, including formal and informal savings, loans, risk-sharing, asset sales, and cash and in-kind transfers from family members, communities, governments, and NGOs.

19 July 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman

This brief offers a summary of findings evidenced in the existing research that are relevant to MILK's two main questions to understand client value.

14 June 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni

This brief summarizes the findings of a landscape study performed by MILK. Contained in this brief are short descriptions of lessons learned and a list of opportunities, challenges, and questions about a business case for microinsurance the MILK aims to address.

02 May 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni, Emily Zimmerman

The nature of microinsurance products suggests that they should be effective in protecting the poor from shocks. However at this stage there is not enough evidence that proves that microinsurance offers better value to the poor than traditional risk strategies.

23 April 2011 - By Richard Koven, Emily Zimmerman

This Landscape Paper reviews the large body of writings and conference presentations on microinsurance to try and determine whether the business case for this new industry has been made.

18 April 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni

The brief summary of why and how MILK is researching a business case for microinsurance.

01 April 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni

This document provides and overview of the MicroInsurance Centre's MILK project, such as what questions MILK is trying to answer and how this will be achieved.

01 April 2011 - By Barbara Magnoni

This document is a short summary of the Client Value Landscape Study that we recently completed to look at what is out there already in terms of work that has been done, is currently under way, or is planned, to research aspects of the question is there value for clients in microinsurance?

30 March 2011

A brief summary of why and how MILK is researching client value in microinsurance.