Microinsurance consortium launches in Zimbabwe
Blue Marble Microinsurance is launching a pilot scheme in Zimbabwe to gain insights into how to roll out its solutions across Africa. The start-up, created by eight international insurers, provides drought insurance to smallholder maize farmers using a proprietary index drawn together by data scientists and agriculture experts. Rainfall and plant health will be monitored throughout the growing season using point-sensor technology.
Blue Marble Microinsurance — a consortium of eight companies established in 2015 with the aim of creating a market for microinsurance — announced the launch of their first venture in Zimbabwe.

“While Blue Marble will initially pilot the venture in Zimbabwe to gain insights into how to make the insurance solution sustainable and impactful, they ultimately plan to scale the venture across Africa,” the consortium said.

“Blue Marble is providing drought protection to smallholder maize farmers in Zimbabwe. The venture has three key features. First, the design of a proprietary index to support the insurance product is a collaborative innovation of data scientists and agronomists from the eight consortium companies.

“The second feature is the use of two-way mobile communication with customers to improve the overall proposition continuously.

“Third, the use of innovative point-sensor technology to measure rainfall and plant health throughout the growing season will complement traditional grid remote-sensing data to create a higher-resolution parametric insurance cover.”

“Blue Marble’s venture in Zimbabwe should reveal insights into streamlining processes and building customer-centric business models.”

Joan Lamm-Tennant, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Marble Microinsurance, said, “I am delighted that Blue Marble’s eight consortium companies have come together to launch this promising venture in Africa.

“By working together, we will bring insurance protection to the underserved in Zimbabwe, a region once known as the breadbasket of Africa but now constrained by food insecurity.”

Blue Marble Microinsurance is a consortium of American International Group, Inc., Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC together with Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Hamilton Insurance Group, Ltd., Old Mutual plc, Transatlantic Reinsurance Company, XL Catlin and Zurich Insurance Group. Hamilton’s Chairman and CEO Brian Duperreault is Vice Chairman of Blue Marble.

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