As part of its ongoing commitment to promoting women’s economic and social empowerment, the Insurers Federation of Egypt has released a new bulletin highlighting the crucial role of insurance in protecting women from various risks and enhancing their financial stability within families and communities. The report emphasizes that insurance has become one of the main pillars for achieving sustainable development and financial inclusion in Egypt.
The bulletin explains that women face a range of gender-specific risks — including reproductive health issues, job insecurity in informal sectors, longer life expectancy, and often limited income — all of which increase their vulnerability to financial and health crises. In this context, insurance serves as a powerful tool to safeguard women against life’s uncertainties and to ensure their long-term economic stability.
It also underscores the importance of women’s health insurance, which provides comprehensive coverage for maternity, childbirth, and reproductive care; life insurance, which guarantees financial security for families in the event of the loss of a breadwinner; and microinsurance, which supports female entrepreneurs in small-scale ventures. The bulletin further noted the emergence of innovative insurance products in some countries designed to cover gender-based violence and offer both psychological and financial support to affected women.
According to the Federation, insurance not only offers financial protection but also promotes women’s economic independence and self-confidence, empowering them to make informed financial decisions and plan for their futures. Furthermore, insurance contributes to family and social stability by mitigating the impact of unexpected events such as loss of income or high medical expenses.
However, the bulletin also warns of the gender gap in access to insurance services, pointing out that many women working in informal sectors lack any form of compulsory coverage. Limited financial literacy and the absence of women-focused insurance products remain major obstacles to expanding inclusive insurance systems.
The report showcases several successful international models, such as India’s SEWA initiative and the Philippines’ WeWomen program, both of which offer innovative insurance solutions that combine healthcare protection with financial assistance for women-led small and medium enterprises.
On the national level, the bulletin praised a new provision in Egypt’s Unified Insurance Law No. 155 of 2024, which introduced the Divorce Risk Insurance Policy. This policy obliges husbands to pay an insurance premium that provides financial compensation to divorced women, ensuring their financial stability until they receive their full legal entitlements — a pioneering step in protecting women’s rights and enhancing social security.
In conclusion, the Insurers Federation of Egypt stressed that achieving equality in access to insurance requires joint efforts among government entities, regulatory bodies, insurance companies, and civil society organizations. Investing in women-centered insurance is not just a social responsibility — it is a strategic foundation for a fairer and more balanced economy.