The Micro Insurance Academy has currently taken the lead in the Impact Subgroup of the CGAP Working Group on Microinsurance.

Based on the real value for the poor discussion, this sub-group focuses on the impact of microinsurance on the client, especially in terms of financial protection.

In response to the need to obtain a better understanding of the impact of microinsurance on "the ground", the sub-group aims to:

1. Conduct a broad stock-taking of current research on the impact of microinsurance and develop a conceptual framework, a detailed chart that will lay out the impact of various microinsurance products/processes on different levels of analysis (client, household, community, etc.), to define the dimensions of microinsurance impact;

2. Steer the creation of formal methodological guidelines to conduct a microinsurance impact assessment. The final product will be an impact methodology "cookbook" linked to the dimensions of impact as defined in the impact framework with "recipes" of suggested indicators and research methodology to use to assess each dimension of impact. The recipes will include both comprehensive methods and quick, cheap methods for those stretched for time and money. This "cookbook" should guide future impact research and encourage the creation of more evidence. Funds will still need to be raised to create the "cookbook".

3. Promote the creation and sharing of quality evidence on the impact of microinsurance.