Abstract
"Good" partnerships have been identified as one of the key factors in the success of a microinsurance programme. Insurers, reluctant to employ the direct sales model in a microinsurance context, need to form partnerships with organizations that can serve as distribution channels. Given cost pressures and the need to reach scale in microinsurance, these partnerships are crucial to the success of the programme. The number of multi-stakeholder partnerships in microinsurance is also growing, as governments and donors become active players. These partnerships are particularly difficult to manage as partners have distinct (sometimes conflicting) priorities and very different organizational cultures.