Allianz X, the digital investment unit of the Allianz Group, announced today a $96.6 million investment in BIMA, a leading digital microinsurer utilizing mobile technology to serve low-income customers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Allianz becomes BIMA’s sole insurance shareholder and the largest strategic shareholder overall.
“Our investment in BIMA underscores Allianz’s commitment to digitalization, supporting the growth strategy of the Group in emerging economies, as well as enabling us to serve the so-called ‘next billion customers’,” said Oliver Bäte, CEO of Allianz SE. BIMA’s proprietary technology delivers affordable insurance and health products to emerging markets customers who need them but cannot access them through traditional channels. Their business combines mobile technology, partnerships with mobile operators and a dedicated 3,500-person salesforce to achieve scale and profitability.
“The strategic investment in BIMA contributes to the digital transformation of the Allianz Group and our commitment to emerging markets,” said Nazim Cetin, CEO of Allianz X. “I am thrilled to work with colleagues who have such entrepreneurial spirit and look forward to our collaboration.”
“Allianz’s participation in BIMA provides an ability for us to deepen our emerging markets footprint and use the latest technologies to distribute insurance products to customers who need it most,” said Coenraad Vrolijk, Regional CEO of Allianz Africa. Since launching in 2010, BIMA has scaled operations in 14 countries on three continents and has 24 million registered customers to date. Allianz’s investment will allow the company to continue its rapid growth trajectory by harnessing soaring mobile penetration in emerging markets and deliver against an ambition to reach 1 billion consumers.
BIMA founder and CEO Gustaf Agartson said, “We are very excited to have Allianz as a shareholder. Allianz is the perfect insurance partner and investor for BIMA because of their strong commitment to emerging markets and overlapping footprint. This investment will allow us to continue our journey to innovate, scale existing as well as new markets, and retain our place as the emerging market InsurTech leader. Allianz’s significant expertise and knowledge in the insurance space will enable BIMA to further improve our product portfolio and provide valuable products to the emerging market consumers.”
About BIMA
BIMA uses mobile technology to deliver affordable insurance and health products to underserved consumers in emerging markets and families who cannot access these vital products through traditional channels. BIMA’s technology platforms create a paperless experience and enable scale, while the agent force distributes products and provides customer education. This tech-enabled approach is the key to BIMA’s growth, reaching 24 million subscribers in 14 markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. BIMA proves
that it is possible to service the bottom of the pyramid profitability and sustainably.
BIMA works with mobile operators, banks and microfinance institutions as well as a growing range of corporates. All partners share BIMA’s mission to reach underserved consumers, with 93 percent of the global customer base living on less than $10 per day and 75 percent accessing insurance for the first time.
About Allianz X
Allianz X is the digital investment unit of the Allianz Group, one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, and part of the Group’s Single Digital Agenda. Allianz X invests in digital growth companies that are part of our ecosystems related to insurance: Mobility, Connected Property, Connected Health, Wealth Management & Retirement, and Data Intelligence & Cybersecurity. We provide an interface between portfolio companies and the digital ecosystem within Allianz as well as drive innovation across Allianz’s
operating entities and global lines of business.
About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers with more than 86 million retail and corporate customers. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing over 650 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers while our asset managers Allianz Global Investors and PIMCO manage an additional 1.4 trillion euros of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we hold a leading position in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2016, over 140,000 employees in more than 70 countries achieved total revenues of 122 billion euros and an operating profit of 11 billion euros for the group. In Africa, Allianz is currently present in 17 countries and accompanies clients in 39 countries. Its 1,500 employees achieved regional revenues of 600 million euros in 2016. Allianz also provides micro-insurance for 500,000 low-income families and individuals in Africa.
