Promoting public health

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What we do Partnering to provide access to affordable health insurance

In most countries, low-income families have very limited access to health financing from their government or employer because most are informally employed. Women, in particular, have difficulty getting healthcare due to gender-based inequalities in education, income and employment – despite facing additional health risks from pregnancy and childbirth. Such health emergencies create huge financial and emotional pressures.

For example, we can support government health insurance programmes through reinsurance capacity together with a comprehensive range of services which encompass advisory support on pricing, product design, operational and risk management, health and wellness and medical inflation. By leveraging Swiss Re Group's in-depth risk expertise, global network of experts and wide range of different insurance products, we aim that these partner programmes receive the necessary support to effectively address their unique challenges and help achieve their objectives. Discover an example of a specific proposition below.

Proposition Mitigating entrepreneurial risks

In many parts of the world lack of access to financial products blocks advancement opportunities for disadvantaged segments of the population. As part of public-private partnerships, Swiss Re can play a key role in the development of tailored insurance arrangements that support formerly uninsured entrepreneurs who may have taken out loans to support their business. In the event of hospital treatment being required for themselves or their family members, entrepreneurs can struggle financially. We can help by working together with public sector partners on a tailored insurance proposition to protect entrepreneurs and, at the same time, contribute to the progression of financial inclusion.

Learn more about How can insurance play a positive role in gender and income inequality?

Case study Our expertise in action

  • It feels rewarding to be involved with a program that provides significant direct benefit to a particularly vulnerable group of people – a program that not only reduces risk, but helps advance low-income women. The program illustrates the societal value of insurance and reinsurance, and the important role the sector can play in improving people's lives.
    Profile photo of Mario Wilhelm.
    Mario Wilhelm Head Middle East & Africa

Further Information

Hemayet Lead Project

Life & Health Insurance

Since 2018, Swiss Re has partnered with Women’s World Banking to provide affordable microinsurance to women entrepreneurs in Egypt. With Swiss Re taking on the role of reinsurer, the microinsurance scheme makes women more resilient against the loss of income in the case of hospitalisation. Coverage extends to immediate family members, and beneficiaries receive a lump sum payment to cover hospital stays and other associated costs not covered by the public health system.

Called Hemayet Lead (which means “Lead’s protection” in Arabic), the solution combines two benefits: A hospital cash benefit of EGP 300 for every night spent at hospital, with limited exclusions (maternity, in particular, is covered), and life insurance for an amount equal to three times the customer’s micro loan. Together with AXA Egypt, we are strategic partners of Hemayet Lead: AXA Egypt in its primary role as direct insurer, and Swiss Re as the main reinsurer and provider of technical support. The product is distributed through the Lead Foundation, a local financial institution, and is typically bundled with loans women have taken out to support their businesses.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the microinsurance product played an important role in providing women and their families with financial protection when they needed it most. Despite certain logistical challenges that arose while trying to expand the reach of the microinsurance scheme during the pandemic, the programme has grown to reach over 490,600 beneficiaries in Egypt, including microinsurance customers and their family members. In 2022, Swiss Re helped to replicate a similar microinsurance scheme in sub-Saharan Africa.

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