WB targets 60% of Indonesian middle-low class

The World Bank targeted that 60 percent of Indonesian middle-low class to get micro insurance in the 4-5 years, an official said here on Wednesday. The World Bank's Lead Financial Economist for Financial and Private Sector Development PS Srinivas told reporters that the government needs to stimulate awareness among middle-low class people of 77 million people on the benefit of having insurance products. "Poor people in poorer countries like Kenya and India still buy insurance. All we need is to educate Indonesians in a proper way so that they understand the benefit of insurance compared to buying cigarette, for example," he said. Of course, he added, the whole process takes time. "But you can do it if you start now. For poorer people, the time will be much longer," said Srinivas. He also said that insurance companies need to design products that suit the market. He added that the World Bank does not invest any money for the purpose. "No investment, we just work with regulators. We facilitate, we are just like broker, bringing knowledge and experience," he said. Srinivas said that the biggest challenge is to create channel for the new product. "People will take it up if the products available in rural area, " said Srinivas.