Informal Insurance Groups in Benin

This paper studies indigenous insurance institutions developed to cope mainly with the high costs of funerals, using evidence from urban areas in Benin. Many of these informal institutions, called 'nujè mèji gbê' in local dialect, co-exist within one neighbourhood. They are based on well-defined rules and regulations, often offering premium-based insurance for funeral expenses, as well as in most cases other forms of insurance and credit to cope with hardship.