Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion

This research project studies the impact of mobile payment platforms and other digital technologies that facilitate the design and distribution of microinsurance products in South Africa. While a growing body of research on “m-insurance” has focused on how to leverage technological advances to build efficiency into the micro-insurance value chain for scaling-up operations, relatively little is known about how low-income clients experience these digital mediums as they struggle against a variety of risk factors. This research project takes a case study approach to understand how poor people respond to and experience a funeral insurance scheme offered by a leading South African insurance company through an innovative mobile-based interface.