The National Insurance Commission (NIC), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF), have launched inclusive insurance awareness clinics aimed at boosting business insurance awareness in parts of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).

The week-long initiative, which began on Monday, September 30, is being conducted under the theme "Wo wo insurance, wa bo wo ho ban?"—which translates to "Do you have insurance, and have you protected yourself?"

Enumerators have been dispatched to various areas, including Dodowa, Kasoa, Old Ningo, Prampram and Kpone-Katamanso, to engage business owners, artisans, and associations.

The clinics not only aim to raise awareness about business insurance but also provide a platform for participants to voice complaints regarding insurance policies and claims management to seek redress. Participants were directed to the NIC's complaints unit for resolution and were educated on understanding the terms and conditions of insurance products in Ghana.

Key engagements took place with executives of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) in Dodowa, the Ghana Barbers Association in Kasoa, and the Kpone-Katamanso Wood and Timber Sellers Association.

Others are Kasoa Galilea and Mamudu markets, Sege, Asutaure, Old Ningo and Prampam

Mr. Kyeame Ghansah, the NIC's Head of Research and lead facilitator, addressed participants on the importance of insurance.

He described it as a collective pool of funds designed to provide support in times of unforeseen events.

Mr  Ghansah emphasized the focus on micro-insurance, or inclusive insurance, which targets market women, artisans, and other informal workers, offering protection against risks such as floods, fires, and other emergencies.

At the Kpone-Katamanso Wood and Timber Market, Dr. Princess Amina Sammo, a representative of UNDP's IRFF, urged wood sellers to collaborate with the Ghana Fire Service to obtain fire extinguishers for their businesses and to hold a deep dive discussion with members to see what insurance will suit them best before they approach insurance companies for cover

She also encouraged them to consider insurance products tailored to protect their livelihoods, such as stocks, goods-in-transit and protection against fire, floods and other perils regarding their businesses, rather than just health and life insurance.

Dr. Sammo further advised the leadership of the association to engage an insurance broker to help develop products that specifically meet their needs, ensuring the continuity of their businesses during times of disaster.

The clinics are to enhance insurance penetration in the informal sector and provide much-needed protection for small and medium business owners, she concluded

The Chairman of the Kpone-Katamanso Wood and Timber Sellers Association, Mr. James Opare Manu, expressed his gratitude to the NIC for the informative session and urged the commission to regularly visit communities to address the concerns of policyholders, especially regarding delays in claims payments.