Tailors handle funeral clothes at a workshop near the mortuary of Yopougon in Abidjan, May 23, 2013. From fish-shaped coffins to slaughtered bulls, funerals in Africa are lavish affairs, providing a lucrative opportunity for insurance companies looking for business in some of the world’s fastest growing economies. Many of the insurance industry’s big money-spinners in developed markets, like motor insurance and cover for household goods, are irrelevant to the majority of Africans who cannot afford a range of expensive personal possessions. But high death rates and low savings levels mean funeral insurance is proving an easier sell among people daunted by the cost of ceremonies that can stretch to several months of income. Picture taken May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Luc Gnago (IVORY COAST – Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY RELIGION) – RTX12L5I
