Sponsors of the Access to Insurance Initiative

The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) was established in 1994 as an international organisation through which insurance regulators and supervisors can cooperate to contribute to improved regulation and supervision of the insurance industry on a domestic as well as on an international level in order to maintain efficient, fair, safe and stable insurance markets for the benefit and protection of policyholders. Today the IAIS represents insurance regulators and supervisors of some 190 jurisdictions in nearly 140 countries. In addition, it has more than 120 observer members. Part of its core objective is to promote the development of well-regulated insurance markets. More information can be found at www.iaisweb.org.

Founded in 1961, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) understands German development Policy as global structural and peace policy that aims at resolving crises and conflicts in a peaceful manner, ensuring that scarce resources are more equitably shared, and that our environment is preserved for coming generations and at reducing global poverty.The BMZ draws up the German government’s development policy guidelines and fundamental concepts. It lays down the long-term development cooperation strategies and defines the rules by which they are put into practice. The BMZ cooperates at international level and with non-governmental organizations and is guided by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The BMZ commissions the German implementing organizations with executing country projects, and monitors the results of their work. More information can be found at www.bmz.de.  

CGAP is an independent policy and research center dedicated to advancing financial access for the world's poor. It is supported by over 30 development agencies and private foundations who share a common mission to alleviate poverty. Housed at the World Bank, CGAP provides market intelligence, promotes standards, develops innovative solutions and offers advisory services to governments, microfinance providers, donors, and investors. More information can be found at www.cgap.org.

FinMark Trust was established in March 2002 with funding from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). FinMark Trust is an independent trust whose business is controlled by five trustees from countries in Southern Africa. Its mission is to make financial markets work for the poor in Africa. It does this by conducting research to identify the systemic constraints that prevent financial markets from reaching out to poor consumers and by advocating for change on the basis of research findings. Thus, FinMark Trust has a catalytic role, driven by its mission to start processes of change that ultimately lead to the development of accessible financial systems that can benefit poor consumers. More information can be found at www.finmark.org.za.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the United Nations agency devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues. The ILO’s interest in microinsurance comes from two perspectives. On the one hand, microinsurance is a means through which social protection can be extended to excluded populations, such as workers in the informal economy. On the other hand, the ILO is also concerned about the social effects of the financial market, which often excludes the working poor who only have their labour as capital. Consequently, for the ILO, microinsurance enhances access to social protection and promotes inclusive insurance markets. More information can be found at www.ilo.org.