Developing inclusive insurance for gig workers in Kenya

• Jul 26, 2025
• 1 min

Gig workers in Kenya lacked the formal protections offered in traditional employment. This exposed them to significant risks, such as income loss, workplace injuries, and medical emergencies. 

To address this gap, the Mastercard Foundation’s Youth Livelihoods in Digital Financial Services (YLDFS) program supported a pilot initiative to design and test inclusive insurance solutions for gig workers in Kenya. The project sought to provide meaningful risk protection and enhance financial resilience for informal workers through innovative, user-centric insurance products.

MSC partnered with Lynk, a digital gig platform, and Britam Kenya to cocreate and pilot a personal accident and work injury insurance product tailored to gig workers’ needs. MSC conducted behavioral research to understand gig workers’ risk perceptions and financial behavior, then used those insights to guide product design. We also facilitated strategic partnerships, supported the pilot rollout, and developed digital financial education modules to promote product uptake and build trust.

The pilot insured more than 1,000 gig workers daily, which marked a major step forward in the expansion of financial safety nets for informal workers. The initiative showed the viability of gig worker insurance and laid the foundation for broader adoption of inclusive insurance solutions for Kenya’s growing digital workforce.

The Mastercard Foundation (YLDFS program) commissioned the project.