Factors that influence health insurance coverage among households in Uganda: a case study of Kawempe Division

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the factors that influence health insurance coverage among Kawempe Division communities. The objectives of the study were, to examine how marital status affects the health insurance coverage among Kawempe Division communities, to examine how place of residence affects the health insurance coverage among Kawempe Division communities and to examine how accessibility to information affects health insurance coverage among Kawempe Division communities. This study applies a Chi-square test model to primary data to investigate the factor influencing demands for health insurance in Kawempe Division. Findings from the study revealed that education level, access to information and occupation significantly influence Health Insurance Coverage in Kawempe Division. However, place of residence; gender and marital status do not significantly affect insurance coverage. The study therefore recommended that life insurance companies should come up with innovative tailor-made products with high risk cover, more return and low insurance premium to attract more number of customers and to achieve greater insurance penetration, the healthier competition has to be intensified by both the sectors and they should come up with new innovative products to offer greater variety or choice to the customers and also make improvement in the quality of services and sell products through appropriate distribution channel to win-win situation for both the parties. Insurance companies should devise policies which provide effective risk coverage rather than focusing on the tax benefits and also encourages them for long term investment in insurance.