Apia, Samoa – For most Samoans, funeral payments are one of the biggest expenses in life, which can create severe financial stress on traditional obligations that can cost families up to $50,000 WST. Cultural traditions regarding obligations and hospitality arrangements at funerals often mean bereaved families obtain expensive loans at short notice.

Apia Insurance Company Limited in partnership with the United Nation’s Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) has today launched a new solution that can help ease some of the financial burden felt by grieving families.

Launched at the Chamber of Commerce meeting, a new General Insurance product called Funeral Cover Insurance Policy is now available at affordable rates for all Samoans, including low-income households.  The product does not have any age limitations and can be purchased by Samoans living abroad for their family members.

Labelled as being the first of its kind in Samoa, Funeral Cover insurance allows Samoans to pursue and secure financial assistance to cover expenses related to funerals.  Instead of leaving Samoans in debt, this new insurance allows customers to secure coverage for those expenses at affordable premiums and is renewed annually. Upon death of the insured, the claimant/beneficiary will receive a payout that will assist with the cost of the loved one’s funeral.

 AICL with its sister company Apia Finance Corporation values the need for financial services to be made available to every Samoan. “Our people matter, not just one individual but all. Our services need to extend to everyone because they matter,” CEO of Apia Insurance Company Limited Lutuiloa Vaiula Sialaoa Solomona emphasized. This coincides with one of PFIP’s aim for the project - “to promote innovations in the financial services market and particularly, encourage the introduction of products and services that are needed, but are currently not available.”

PFIP’s Samoa-based Financial Inclusion Coordinator Iris Kissiti said that the product is the result of a focus group research from last year, exploring the market for new insurance products in Samoa.  The research found that there was a clear desire for an insurance product that could help reduce the financial burden of funerals.

She added that PFIP was proud to partner with Apia Insurance Company Limited to develop new financial service products that Samoans need and want.

About Apia Insurance Company

Since its humble beginnings in 2006, Apia Insurance Company Ltd has served Samoa’s people by providing fire and general insurance products for homes, businesses, vehicle, travel and property for over 2000 customers. A private and locally owned and managed company, Apia Insurance Company Ltd also operates another branch in American Samoa and has a sister company Apia Finance offering small loans to customers and bridging finances to small businesses.

Contact: Saulelia Rosemary Tone – Project Manager & Business Analyst; phone: +685 601547 or 25500; email: funeralcoverinsurance.aic@gmail.com

About PFIP

PFIP is a Pacific-wide programme that has helped over two million low-income Pacific Islanders gain access to financial services and financial education. It achieves these results by funding innovation with financial services and delivery channels, supporting policy and regulatory initiatives, and empowering consumers.

PFIP operates from the UNDP Pacific Office in Suva, Fiji and has offices in Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Solomon Islands.  It is jointly administered by the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and receives funding from the Governments of Australian and New Zealand and the European Union.

For more information or media inquiries please contact:

Erica Lee, Communications Associate, PFIP, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji; tel: +679 3227538; email: erica.lee@undp.org; website: http://www.pfip.org