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Micro-insurance.
Insurance is the most effective means of reducing the vulnerability of the poor from the impacts of disease,
theft, violence, disability, fire and other hazards. Insurance protects against unexpected losses by pooling
the resources of the many to compensate for the losses of the few, the more uncertain the event the more
insurance becomes the most economical form of protection. Policyholders only pay the average loss
suffered by the group rather than the actual costs of an individual event, insurance replaces the uncertain
prospect of large losses with the certainty of making small, regular, affordable premium payments
(Brown & McCord 2000, Brown & Churchill 1999). The primary function of insurance is to act as a
risk transfer mechanism, to provide peace of mind and protect against losses. Risk can be handled by
either; assumption, combination, transfer or loss prevention activities. Insurance schemes utilize the
combination method by persuading a large number of individuals to pool their risks into a large group to
minimize overall risk (Ali 2000). In the developed world insurance is part of society, such that some forms
of cover are required by law. In developing countries the need for such a safety net is much greater,
particular at the poorest levels where vulnerability to risks is much greater and there are fewer opportunities
available to recover from a large loss.
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Site map.
About insurance.
Life insurance.
Home insurance.
Car insurance.
Travel insurance.
Contacts.
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