It is increasingly recognized that the economic cost of a risk is greater to the insured than to the insurer, and therefore the transfer of risk can create value for the insured poor. But is there is sufficient opportunity for the poor to transfer risks to insurers? This article identifies some...

This report is based on information collected in two districts of Nepal (Banke and Dhading) in early 2009 and concerns the launch of community-based micro health insurance units for members of Nirdhan and DEPROSC, two grassroots microfinance NGOs. The study entailed a household survey of 2,008...

This paper reports on two voluntary, contributory, contextualized, community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes, launched in Dhading and Banke (Nepal) in 2011. The implementation followed a four stage process: initiating (baseline survey), involving (awareness generation and engaging...

Micro health insurance units (MIUs) reduce negative financial consequences of healthcare costs for people who cannot access to formal and affordable health insurance. In order to survive, MIUs need capital to cover their outlier costs (whose probability of occurring is low but not zero). The...

Based on a survey in seven locations, this article finds that most Indians are willing to pay 1.35 per cent of income or more for health insurance and most people prefer a holistic benefit package at basic coverage over high coverage of only rare events. The needs of the poor, and their demand...