Digital insurance is closely following the massive growth of digital banking and this is applicable in both developed and developing countries. But one visionary bank and their technology subsidiary have decided to take health insurance to the next level and spread it across Francophone Africa.

Digital innovation in the insurance sector

Meet AssourTous by Atlantic Group - the first fully digital health insurance platform in Cameroon, offering affordable healthcare coverage to corporate and individual clients.

Founded in 2006, Atlantic Financial Group (AFG) is the third largest banking group in West Africa operating in 18 countries and the financial holding company (bank and insurance) of Atlantic Group. In 2012, AFG retained control of Banque Atlantique Cameroun. Since 2019, the Group has applied for the acquisition of BNP Paribas subsidiaries in several countries and is now the majority shareholder of three other banks in Mali, Gabon and Comores.

While offering banking and insurance services on those markets, Atlantic Group identified the need for a digital insurance solution that offers the essentials of health coverage at best price and facilitates the full patient medical journey, placing the patient at the centre.

A digital health insurance ecosystem which adds value to all players

Through its insurance subsidiary Atlantique Assurances Cameroon IARDT, the technology subsidiary DBS and with the help of Software Group, a global provider of digital financial solutions, AFG created AssurTous - the first digital insurance platform in Cameroon. 

It connects patients, doctors, pharmacies and laboratories in a seamless omni-channel experience, providing biometric identification, multiform payment, real time monitoring of medical care activities and systematic monitoring of the customer journey.

The platform was officially introduced in April 2019 in a public ceremony as two products: AssurTous Santé and AssurTous Accident.

Built on Software Group’s digital banking and insurance platform DigiWave, combined with agency banking and mobile wallet features, AssurTous provides innovation and a seamless journey to all parties involved.

Clients can self-onboard, sign their policy and manage their subscription services through a customer app while agents can monitor the enrollment of policyholders through an agent app.

Clinics, hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies can enjoy a modernisation of the health system and elimination of manual procedures through customer biometric authentication, validation of insurance policies, creation of online forms with details of treatment and doctors who prescribed them, automatic invoice generation and much more.

AssurTous Sante is a 100% digital infrastructure hosted on Azure cloud.

The impact

The success of AssurTous Santé health insurance solution from Atlantique Assurances is to a large extent due to the fantastic work of the young and dynamic team of the Digital Development Department under the leadership of its Director, Edmond Junior Jemba.

Heading the digital development at Atlantique Assurances since May 2019, Edmond and his team designed the entire digital strategy, organization and roadmap of transformation to reduce the poverty of low-income households by providing them with affordable insurance products.

Two years since the launch of this digital operation, the results are mind-blowing: US$3-million in revenue, 1.1 million claims, 45,000 beneficiaries, 600 acceptors. This data enabled the Atlantic insurance company to win the title "Award N°1 in Health Leadership in Cameroon” by the Ministry of Public Health in 2021, as cited in Echos Sante media.

The same year, they were also honored by Orange Cameroon with the Prize "Best Digital Transformation in 2021".

In March 2022, Atlantique Assurances signed a partnership agreement with CNPS (National Social Insurance Fund in Cameroon) which enables insured volunteers such as bikers, travelers and so forth to experience affordable insurance coverage with more than 500 health centers, clinics and pharmacies across the country. This innovative insurance service has not been done before and as such it is very important for the market. It enables the insured with a wide range of healthcare services for a very small fee while also bringing healthcare to the wider population

What’s in the plans for AssurTous? Beyond the success in Cameroon, the solution is now being introduced to Mali and Comoros, soon to be implemented in more countries across Africa.