Micro-insurance through corporate–NGO partnerships in West Bengal: opportunities and constraints

• Published in: Development in practice Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 122 - 129
• Main Authors: Véron, René, Majumdar, Ananya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.02.2011; Routledge, Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Attention; Bengal; business enterprises; Business insurance; Civil society; Collaboration; Corporations; Credit insurance; Employee insurance; Employer provided health insurance; Governance; Governance and public policy; India; Insurance; Insurance companies; Insurance regulation; Labour and livelihoods; Life insurance; NGOs; Non-governmental organizations; Nongovernmental Organizations; Partnership; Partnerships; Political Factors; politics; Poor; PRACTICAL NOTE; Public policy; Public-private partnership; Rural population; Social insurance; South Asia; West Bengal; West Bengal (state), India; India; West Bengal India
• ISSN: 1364-9213; 0961-4524; 1364-9213
• DOI: 10.1080/09614524.2011.530229

This Practical Note examines the nascent micro-insurance sector in West Bengal, paying particular attention to the corporate–NGO partnership model for micro-insurance distribution, which has been enabled by India's unique regulatory framework. We challenge the popular construction of this model as a ‘win–win’ for all parties by analysing conflicting understandings of micro-insurance schemes and their purposes by insurance companies, NGOs, and poor villagers. The article also considers the role of the specific political context of West Bengal in constricting corporate–NGO micro-insurance.