Forming insurance cooperatives

Member organisations of the UK-based International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF), have more than a hundred million customers in 60 countries and measure their combined turnover in billions of US dollars. Although the global "family" of co-operative and mutual organisations covers a vast range of economic activities - from agriculture, credit and banking to industry and commerce, retailing and wholesaling, insurance is the most successful sector of all in business terms. ICMIF's members include some of the world's leading insurers which, have uniquely retained their co-operative identity and the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. Among ICMIF's finest achievements is its patient work over many years in co-operative development, particularly in helping to establish new insurers in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the post-communist countries of central and eastern Europe.