Videos
Insurance & Risk Finance Secure Development

Development is under threat. Our changing climate undermines development progress and exploits entrenched vulnerabilities, while people continue to be left behind by growing poverty and inequality, technological disruption and environmental degradation. The devastating impacts of COVID-19 have highlighted the fragility of our country and community resilience.  Insurance and risk-finance are critical to building resilience and protecting people’s lives and livelihoods from these increasingly interconnected crises.

Insurance & Risk Finance Secure Development

How do we protect communities and build resilience?

The IRFF works across 5 key workstreams

Faced with increasing health, climate and socio-economic crises, insurance and risk financing protect critical assets, lives and livelihoods, helping prevent people from entering a downward spiral of debt and vulnerability. By building social protections, fostering entrepreneurism and creating new opportunities & freedom of choice, insurance and risk finance also underpin economic growth.


Working with industry and governments across 5 interrelated workstreams, we innovate scalable insurance, risk finance and investment solutions to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Integrating Insurance into Development
Integrating Insurance into Development
Integrating Insurance into Development
Integrating Insurance into Development

Integrating the analytical capacity and expertise of the insurance industry into development.

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 Inclusive Insurance
Inclusive Insurance
 Inclusive Insurance
Inclusive Insurance

Providing a critical pathway to protect communities and broaden financial inclusion.

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Sovereign Risk Finance
Sovereign Risk Finance
Sovereign Risk Finance
Sovereign Risk Finance

Providing countries with assistance to deliver risk finance solutions across development, recovery and humanitarian settings.

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Insuring Natural Capital
Insuring Natural Capital
Insuring Natural Capital
Insuring Natural Capital

Investing in risk and resilience that protect natural assets while decreasing community vulnerability.

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Insurance & Investment
Insurance & Investment
Insurance & Investment
Insurance & Investment

Pivoting insurance investors towards SDG-aligned projects in developing countries.

Resources and tools for scaling Insurance & Risk Finance solutions

In collaboration with industry, governments and other partners, the Facility produces policy advice, guidance, tools, methodologies & networks to strengthen country and community resilience to socio-economic, health, climate and other shocks.

Publications
Building MSME Resilience in Southeast Asia

Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies and are key engines of growth in the region. This joint UNDP Generali report on 'Building MSME Resilience in Southeast Asia’ details key risks MSMEs are exposed to in the ASEAN and a new approach to building MSMEs' financial resilience - with a country focus on Thailand and Malaysia. 

Publications
Insurance and Risk Financing Opportunities in Western Balkans

This scoping study looks at the obstacles and prospects for developing insurance and risk financing in the Western Balkan region, which includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The report presents an overview of the current state of the insurance market and risk financing mechanisms in these countries and territories, identifying significant hurdles and potential areas for growth that could benefit from external intervention. Additionally, the report suggests appropriate solutions for these countries and territories and pinpoints promising opportunity areas.


 

*All references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of the Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).

Publications
INSURING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Building Climate Resilience Through Takaful

This paper highlights the opportunities, challenges and recommendations for Takaful - a Shari’ah-compliant alternative to conventional insurance - to build the financial resilience of at-risk Muslim communities against rising climate risks. This high-level knowledge product has been jointly developed by UNDP’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the IsDB Institute. It will be followed by more detailed guidance focusing on the development and distribution of Takaful solutions for specific economic sectors and risks.

Publications
The Inclusive Insurance Navigator

Available in English, French, and Spanish 


A Guide to Designing Inclusive Insurance Products and Markets

UNDP’s Insurance Risk and Finance Facility (IRFF) has developed this Navigator to address the needs of insurers, distribution channels and other stakeholders interested in developing inclusive insurance products and markets. Starting from scratch in this market can be daunting, costly and time-consuming. To make it easier, this Navigator leverages lessons learned by experts over the past decade and condenses them into practical applications that can be used by practitioners who have varying degrees of experience in inclusive insurance and research methods.
 

Diagnostic Reports
Inclusive insurance and risk financing in Ethiopia. Snapshot and way forward 2024

The report summarizes the key findings of an inclusive insurance and risk finance country diagnostic carried out by the IRFF and UNDP Ethiopia. The publication presents key risks, the current state of inclusive insurance and risk finance in the country, and recommendations to advance inclusive insurance, risk finance and overall development in Ethiopia. This report is the thirteenth in a series of summary country diagnostics.

Global Partnerships & Commitments

The Facility delivers on both the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the InsuResilience Global Partnership Vision 2025. Global partnerships include the Tripartite Agreement between BMZ, UNDP and the Insurance Development Forum, with thanks to the German Government for providing significant financial support.
 

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