Offering rainfall insurance to informal insurance groups: evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia (IGC Working Paper)

Abstract

We report the results from a first attempt to market weather insurance products to informal risk-sharing groups. In collaboration with a leading insurance company in Ethiopia, we marketed index-based rainfall insurance products to members of pre-existing risk-sharing groups. Leaders and members of risk sharing groups were trained on risk management and the possible benefits of insurance. Among those trained we randomized training, with some sessions focusing on group benefits and others only on individual benefits from insurance. We found that members of groups whose leaders had received group-focused training had considerably higher uptake. Our results suggest benefits from marketing index-based insurance to insurance groups, at least in terms of uptake.

Citation

Dercon, S.; Vargas Hill, R.; Outes-Leon, I.; Clarke, D.; Taffesse, A.S. Offering rainfall insurance to informal insurance groups: evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia (IGC Working Paper). International Growth Centre (IGC), London, UK (2011) 39 pp.

Offering rainfall insurance to informal insurance groups: evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia (IGC Working Paper)

Published 1 January 2011