Ms Lizada recognises the true value of microinsurance

Association/company: PI-MBA
Country: The Philippines

Ms Lizada is a member of Pag-Inupdanay Mutual Benefit Association (PI MBA) in the Philippines. She joined PI MBA through their partnership with her local Parish Pastoral Council (PPC); while she was browsing PI MBA’s pamphlets, she became interested in the benefits that members can claim which convinced her to sign-up. She’s the current Parish Treasurer and is also in-charge of contribution collection during every PPC meeting (each member contributes PHP 100 or USD 1.9 each month).

One day Ms Lizida’s husband was involved in a motorcycle accident on his way home after work, and was hospitalised for seven days. He had surgery on his leg and their hospital bill amounted to PHP 40,000 (USD 750). She was able to claim PHP 10,000 (USD 185) from PI MBA in less than 15 days. She also received around PHP 14,000 from her husband’s Philhealth policy while the remaining PHP 16,000 was taken from their family savings and a loan. If her family was not covered by microinsurance, she would probably have borrowed money from other sources.

Ms Lizida shared her first impressions of microinsurance: “Upon seeing and hearing about claims from members, I realised the importance of microinsurance. I also realised that microinsurance is not just for one’s self, but it is for the benefit of those people you will leave behind.”