Micro health insurance in India

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Micro health insurance in India

• Lessons learnt and the way forward

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(No Transcript)
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Characteristics of the MHIs

• Organised by NGOs
• Targeting the poor
• Three basic models
• Provides a comprehensive package
• Collects affordable premiums
• NGOs and communities manage the administration
• Usually requires some external resources for
  financial viability.

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Lessons learnt

• Target specifically the poorer sections of
  society
• Have developed products that are appropriate to
  their community needs
• Handle most of the administration and management
  of the scheme
• Some weaknesses actuarial calculations, and
  negotiations with the providers

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Some myths about MHIs

• These are organised by NGOs who are undependable.
• These are small and so not relevant.
• They are small and so not financially viable.
• They are subsidised from external funds.
• NGOs do not have the technical capacity.

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Way forward

• Give the micro insurance organisations the space
  and opportunity to grow.
• Bring them under the scope of regulation, but do
  not limit it to the partner agent model.
• Have a separate cell in the IRDA for micro
  insurance, that will regulate as well as promote
  micro insurance

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Way forward

• Have definite criteria of entry for Micro
  insurance organisations e.g.
• Support them with technical assistance e.g.
  premium setting, regulating the providers
• Remember that one is dealing with different
  players and different set of rules

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MICRO INSURANCE IS NOT JUST ABOUT ECONOMICS AND
ACTUARIAL SCIENCES, IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO NEED
TO BE PROTECTED FROM SHOCKS.
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THANK YOU Dr. N. Devadasan, MBBS, MPH SCTIMST
Kerala ITM Antwerp.