Case Study

Explaining Insurance: Implementing Consumer Education in CARE-India's Insure Lives & Livelihoods Program

Educating communities on microinsurance

This report describes the Insure Lives and Livelihoods (ILAL) insurance education program launched by CARE-India. It discusses the content and delivery channels of the program, and CARE-India’s approach to capacity building and performance evaluation of training.

The ILAL microinsurance program was launched as a risk management tool for communities affected by the tsunami of December 2004 in Tamil Nadu, India. The report states that ILAL insurance education is part of CARE’s efforts to improve communities’ understanding of insurance. Lessons from CARE’s experience include:

  • Understand communities’ knowledge level, experiences and needs;
  • Allow flexibility and customization;
  • Supplement information with reference materials;
  • Keep the program simple and culturally appropriate;
  • Reinforce key messages through repetition.

The report states that CARE expanded its outreach to thousands of low income households through insurance education by focusing on capacity building, planning and careful implementation. It identifies two major challenges for insurance education, namely, sustainability and measuring impact.

About this Publication

By Burns, C. & Dalal, A.
Published