MicroInsurance Service
MicroInsurance Services is a Malawi-based insurance intermediary that designs and distributes microinsurance products — health, agriculture, credit life, group life, and business cover — for low and middle-income customers via mobile USSD enrollment and partner channels including MNOs, banks, MFIs, and NGOs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLilongwe, Malawi
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What MicroInsurance Service does
MicroInsurance Services Ltd is a Malawi-based insurance intermediary that designs, implements, and manages microinsurance products for low and middle-income customers. The company was originally established as MicroEnsure Malawi in 2005 and re-formed as MicroInsurance Services Ltd in 2015 following MicroEnsure UK's divestiture. It is headquartered in Lilongwe and operates a second service center in Blantyre, opened in March 2024.
The company offers a broad product portfolio spanning health insurance (Abwenzi Rural Health Insurance, Abwenzi Plus, Credit Health, HospCash), agricultural insurance (Weather Index, Area Yield Index, Mzati Crop), credit and loan protection (Enhanced Credit Life, Retrenchment), life and employee benefits (Group Life Assurance), and business cover (Business Catastrophe). Its underlying technology stack is mobile-based: customers can enroll and verify eligibility via USSD short code *3535#, claims are paid through mobile wallets to reach unbanked rural customers, and the company commits to a 72-hour claims turnaround with simplified documentation requirements that accept alternative forms of identification.
MicroInsurance Services generates revenue as an intermediary earning commissions and fees on insurance products sold through partner distribution networks. Its go-to-market is channel-led, working with mobile network operators (TNM, Airtel), banks and microfinance institutions (including Vision Fund Malawi across 23 districts), NGOs, and agribusinesses, supplemented by direct mobile self-service enrollment and physical service centers. The company employs approximately 30 people and targets the mass-market protection gap in Malawi rather than the formal insurance segment.
MicroInsurance Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MicroInsurance Service
- Legal name
- MicroInsurance Services Ltd
- Website
- https://microinsurance.mw
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MicroInsurance Services is a Malawi-based insurance intermediary that designs and distributes microinsurance products — health, agriculture, credit life, group life, and business cover — for low and middle-income customers via mobile USSD enrollment and partner channels including MNOs, banks, MFIs, and NGOs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MicroInsurance Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microinsurance
- NAICS
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)
Keywords
Where MicroInsurance Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lilongwe
- HQ country
- Malawi
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
MicroInsurance Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Insurance Intermediary Services: As an insurance intermediary and consulting company, MicroInsurance Services designs, implements and manages microinsurance products for the mass market. They earn commissions or fees from insurance products sold through their partner distribution networks.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
MicroInsurance Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MicroInsurance Service designs, implements, and manages microinsurance products targeted at low- and middle-income Malawians, smallholder farmers, and micro/small enterprises. It acts as an intermediary, partnering with insurers, banks, microfinance institutions, mobile network operators, NGOs, and agribusinesses to distribute affordable health, agriculture, credit life, business, and personal insurance products via mobile channels. Revenue is earned through commissions on placed cover and fees for product design, implementation, and ongoing management services.
Product overview
MicroInsurance Services Ltd operates as an insurance intermediary offering a comprehensive portfolio of microinsurance products designed for the mass market, particularly low and middle-income populations in Malawi. The product suite spans five main categories: Health Insurance (including Abwenzi Rural Health Insurance, Abwenzi Plus, Credit Health, HospCash), Agriculture Insurance (Weather Index Insurance, Area Yield Index Insurance, Mzati Crop Insurance), Credit & Loan Protection (Enhanced Credit Life, Retrenchment), Life & Employee Benefits (Group Life Assurance), and Business Insurance (Business Catastrophe). The company specializes in designing, implementing and managing products that address risks faced by underserved communities, with products distributed through partnerships with NGOs, microfinance institutions, mobile network operators, and banks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use MicroInsurance Service
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MicroInsurance Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
MicroInsurance Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vision Fund MalawicoreVision Fund Malawi partnered with MicroInsurance Services Limited to launch the Abwenzi Health Insurance Service. The product is accessible in all Vision Fund branches across 23 districts in Malawi. Policy holders enjoy hospitalisation benefits from first day of overnight admission, SMS a Doctor Service, 48-hour claims processing and cash paid direct to clients through mobile money.
- BimaLab Africa / FSD Africa / ACAPScoreBimaLab Africa is an initiative powered by FSD Africa and ACAPS that focuses on accelerating innovation in insurance and financial inclusion across Africa. The program provides mentorship and funding to startups that tackle key challenges in underserved markets. MIS received a grant acknowledging its work in expanding affordable, accessible microinsurance with focus on healthcare for rural populations in Malawi.
- The LHoFT (Luxembourg House of Financial Technology)coreThe LHoFT hosts the Catapult: Inclusion Africa accelerator program which empowers startups with mentorship and funding to drive inclusive finance solutions. MIS won the 7th edition recognizing its innovative approach to affordable healthcare insurance for low-income households in Malawi.
- IFAD / FARMSEminorIn 2021 MicroInsurance with support from IFAD through the FARMSE (Financial Inclusion for Rural Markets and Smallholder Enterprises) embarked on research aimed at improving rural communities wellbeing through provision of health services.
- TNM (Telecom Networks Malawi)coreMicroEnsure UK designed and launched the first ever mobile insurance with TNM dubbed TNM Moyo Cover. TNM is a mobile network operator with extensive reach in Malawi.
- Airtel MalawicoreLaunched mobile based Insurance with Airtel dubbed Airtel Insurance - Three for free hospitalization, personal accidents and life covers for free. Airtel has significant market presence in Malawi.
- Opportunity International BankminorDesigned and launched EduSave with Opportunity International Bank to drive the bank's deposit intake while protecting savers from risks they face in daily undertakings.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MicroInsurance Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Pictet Microfinance / Symbiotics: Specialized microfinance and inclusive-finance investment managers that channel institutional capital into microfinance and inclusive insurance providers in emerging markets. Comparable as broad incumbent to MIS within the inclusive-finance ecosystem that sources capital to the sector.
- CIC Insurance Group: CIC Insurance is a multi-line African insurer offering inclusive microinsurance products across East Africa through cooperative and partner channels. Directly comparable as the award reference body for MIS's CIC Insurance Awards recognition, and as a broad incumbent in the microinsurance space.
Direct peers
- ACRE Africa (Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise): ACRE Africa designs, prices, and distributes index-based crop and livestock insurance to smallholder farmers in East Africa. Comparable to MIS's Weather Index and Area Yield products targeting smallholder farmer segments.
- Inclusivity Solutions (successor to MicroEnsure Africa): Inclusivity Solutions is the successor entity to the original MicroEnsure/Microfinance Africa group from which MIS was spun off. It designs and operates microinsurance products through mobile and partner channels across Africa and Asia, making it the closest historical and operational analogue to MIS.
- aYo Insurance (MTN Group): aYo is MTN Group's captive microinsurance platform distributed via MTN mobile wallets and USSD across multiple African markets. Comparable to MIS's TNM Moyo Cover / Airtel Insurance bundles as an MNO-led microinsurance model.
- Pula Advisors: Pula designs and distributes agricultural insurance (including weather- and area-yield index products) for smallholder farmers across Africa, working with governments and agribusinesses. Comparable to MIS's agriculture insurance line and channel partner model in Malawi.
- BIMA: BIMA is a global mobile-microinsurance pioneer operating across emerging markets in Asia and Africa, partnering with MNOs to distribute affordable insurance via USSD/mobile apps. Directly comparable to MIS as an MNO-embedded microinsurance intermediary serving low-income customers.
- WorldCover: WorldCover provides weather-index crop insurance to smallholder farmers across Africa via mobile distribution. Directly comparable to MIS's Mzati Crop and Weather Index products and farmer segment focus.
Emerging players
- OKO Finance: OKO delivers mobile-delivered crop insurance to smallholder farmers in West and East Africa through partnerships with mobile operators. Comparable emerging-stage peer to MIS's MNO-channel agriculture insurance products.
- Jumo: Jumo provides digital insurance, credit, and savings products to underserved customers via mobile partners across Africa. Comparable as an emerging digital-distribution inclusive-finance platform operating in adjacent segments to MIS.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MicroInsurance Service social profiles
Digital presenceMicroInsurance Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MicroInsurance Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
MicroInsurance Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MicroInsurance Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MicroInsurance Service
What does MicroInsurance Service do?
MicroInsurance Service designs, implements, and manages microinsurance products targeted at low- and middle-income Malawians, smallholder farmers, and micro/small enterprises. It acts as an intermediary, partnering with insurers, banks, microfinance institutions, mobile network operators, NGOs, and agribusinesses to distribute affordable health, agriculture, credit life, business, and personal insurance products via mobile channels. Revenue is earned through commissions on placed cover and fees for product design, implementation, and ongoing management services.
Is MicroInsurance Service a public or private company?
MicroInsurance Service is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MicroInsurance Service founded?
MicroInsurance Service was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MicroInsurance Service based?
MicroInsurance Service is headquartered in Lilongwe, Malawi, in the Africa region.
How does MicroInsurance Service make money?
One revenue line is on record: insurance Intermediary Services.
Who are MicroInsurance Service's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Pictet Microfinance / Symbiotics and CIC Insurance Group. Direct peers are ACRE Africa (Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise), Inclusivity Solutions (successor to MicroEnsure Africa), aYo Insurance (MTN Group), Pula Advisors, BIMA and WorldCover. Emerging players are OKO Finance and Jumo.
Does MicroInsurance Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for MicroInsurance Service.
What industry is MicroInsurance Service in?
MicroInsurance Service's product category is Microinsurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAM, Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets. Its NAICS code is 524210 and its SIC code is 6163.