The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has launched a strategic partnership with global insurance firms AXA and CNP Assurances to expand access to inclusive insurance worldwide.
The partnership will see the UPU work with AXA and CNP Assurances to roll out a five-year program focused on expanding inclusive insurance in the postal networks of UPU member countries. It will be implemented through the newly established Postal Insurance Technical Assistance Facility (PITAF).
The initiative began in 2024 with a global study, mapping out existing postal insurance models and solutions around the globe. Building on the study’s findings, the second phase of the program was launched in 2025 with the creation of the PITAF. In this phase, CNP Assurances joined the UPU and AXA to support postal operators in creating, expanding or diversifying their inclusive insurance services. CNP Assurances is a subsidiary of La Banque Postale within the group La Poste.
Through PITAF, the partnership aims to:
- Promote financial inclusion by helping postal operators develop inclusive insurance products and services that meet the needs of unbanked and vulnerable populations;
- Strengthen the financial sustainability of postal operators by diversifying their products and services;
- Foster collaboration between key stakeholders, including postal operators, insurance providers and governments to create an enabling environment for inclusive insurance development;
- Support the implementation of postal insurance regulatory provisions;
- Create a knowledge-sharing platform for sharing of best practices on postal inclusive insurance across the UPU network and beyond.
AXA and CNP Assurances will support postal operators by sharing the latest innovations in insurance, operating models, effective sales strategies and knowledge transfer tools, helping to expand access to insurance solutions for underserved communities.
According to the UPU, the program will aim to respond to the needs of low-income populations, often excluded from traditional channels, with tailored insurance solutions, thus contributing to broader national financial inclusion strategies and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UPU director general Masahiko Metoki said, “The UPU partnership with AXA and CNP Assurances demonstrates the essential role the private sector can play, in collaboration with the UPU, to advance financial inclusion.
“Through PITAF, we aim to support member countries and their postal operators to deliver inclusive insurance solutions that protect vulnerable populations and broaden access to essential financial services through the postal network.”
Read more about how postal operators are driving financial inclusion worldwide in the June 2025 issue of Parcel and Postal Technology International.
