GRF’s latest book “Microinsurance – An Innovative Tool for Risk and Disaster Management” contains fifteen papers which all focus – from different perspectives – on an integrated approach in risk and disaster management through Microinsurance. Case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America involving a broad variety of stakeholders, institutions, risks, methods, and business models, reveal the enormous potential of microinsurance in particular in disaster management.

The scope of this book is both to investigate the linkage between disaster risk reduction and Microinsurance and to address possible combinations of loans, savings and insurance schemes for low-income people to provide them with appropriate solutions for at least a partial risk reduction. The wide variety of contributions presented, prevents this book from providing a sequential and coherent investigation of single issues related to Microinsurance. Instead, it provides a collection of case studies in different developing countries elaborated by experts across four continents. Each paper, while presenting and discussing experience drawn from most current practical applications, unfolds a host of actual key topics relevant to the implementation of Microinsurance. The book provides an overview on the status and strategies of implementation in various risk sectors (life, health and natural disaster risks), highlighting existing methods, best practices and specific case studies of Microinsurance programmes and initiatives. Particular attention is placed on Microinsurance tools that are capable of reducing the damage caused by natural disasters and unexpected hazards.

The first part of the book covers topics of general interest concerning the need for Integrated Risk Management in Microinsurance, its linkage with climate change adaptation and the strategic role of a sound regulatory and policy framework in shaping a supportive environment for Microinsurance growth. The remainder of the book presents a number of case studies from developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These contributions have been grouped by insurance-product offered: credit-life, health and disaster insurance. The book covers a wide variety of perspectives, namely: hosting countries, type of clients and risks covered, methods, business models and institutional/organisational arrangements applied, key topics and issues, which are unfolded in each case study by authors with a range of backgrounds and expertise. This diversity, in our opinion, is the strength of this book. Each case-study presents local evidence and critical discussion about different topics and challenges, which will be crucial to ensure Microinsurance in developing countries is sustainable and economically viable, while revealing gaps for future improvement.