CARD Pioneer empowers micro insurance executives worldwide, cementing PH as the global standard in micro insurance
Pioneer Insurance, and its joint venture company CARD Pioneer Microinsurance, Inc., once again put the Philippines at the forefront of global inclusive insurance as it welcomed a new group of international microinsurance leaders for the Microinsurance Master, a global learning initiative that brings industry executives to the country to learn from the Philippine experience in expanding financial protection to underserved communities.
Speaking before the delegates, Pioneer Insurance Group Head Lorenzo Chan urged delegates to turn ideas into meaningful action that creates lasting change.
“This is not a corporate responsibility effort. This is not a feel-good activity. This is a viable business proposition that empowers people and enables them to take control of their lives,” said Mr. Chan.
Bert Opdebeeck, founder of Microinsurance Master, said the program aims to inspire leaders from around the world by demonstrating that inclusive forms of insurance can be impactful and sustainable.
“What Pioneer clearly shows is that you can do good by doing good, that you can scale microinsurance in a sustainable, profitable way while providing great value to the people you serve,” he said.
In one of the Microinsurance Master courses, Wilma Conde, Officer-In-Charge of the Microinsurance Division of the Insurance Commission of the Philippines, highlighted how microinsurance has become an important tool that protects marginalized communities, especially those with low incomes who are often more vulnerable to disasters, illness, and economic shocks.
Ms. Conde explained that the Philippines has established a strong regulatory framework that ensures that microinsurance products remain affordable, simple, and accessible while providing meaningful coverage for life, property, and casualty risks.
Among the delegates, Mary Takavarasha, who is the Manager of Insurance Prudential Supervision at IPEC in Zimbabwe, said that the experience challenges the conventional thinking in the insurance industry, “When dealing with microinsurance, you have to learn not to learn. It is not a normal insurance.
Meanwhile, Leona Abban, General Manager of Partnerships at Impact Life Insurance in Ghana, noted that the Philippine model emphasizes the importance of building solutions around the realities of low-income communities.
“Start with the customer, understand where they are, how they work, what they use, and then bring solutions,” said Ms. Abban.
Andrew Kulayige, the CEO of Britam in Rwanda also emphasized the importance of adopting a different mindset when working in this sector.
“We cannot play in the field of microinsurance with the mindset of a company. We must play in that field with the mindset of microinsurance,” he said, adding that lessons from the Philippines highlight how cooperation and social interaction can help increase financial inclusion in emerging markets.
The Philippines has become a regular destination for international programming. As the Pioneer widely known as the global level of microinsurance, the country hosted the Microinsurance Master in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024 before accepting another group this year.
Over the years, Pioneer’s leadership in this field has already inspired 168 decision makers from 107 organizations in 49 countries, many of whom have returned to their markets with new ways to increase financial protection in low-income communities.
By continuing to open doors to global practitioners, Pioneer strengthens the role of the Philippines as a learning center for microinsurance and demonstrates how locally developed integrated insurance models can help strengthen the financial sustainability of communities around the world.
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