Bringing global tech to local fields
Kazakhstan is making digitalization a key part of its national strategy. The government aims to utilize technology to help businesses expand, enhance service efficiency, and bolster key sectors of the economy. Agriculture is one of these sectors. The first advanced digital solution has already been introduced. Freedom Insurance, part of the Freedom Holding Corp., has launched an AI-powered crop insurance product that helps farmers protect their harvests from extreme weather conditions.
How does it work?
Timur Turlov, CEO of NASDAQ-listed Freedom Holding Corp. (the parent company of the holding), presented this innovative insurance project for farmers to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in mid-September.
Using satellites, artificial intelligence, and a parametric index model, Freedom Insurance provides fast, transparent, and reliable protection for farmers against climate-related losses.
What is the innovation?
A parametric index model, a key element of the new insurance product, uses measurable weather indicators—like rainfall, temperature, or soil moisture—to trigger insurance payments automatically. If the weather exceeds predefined thresholds, the system calculates the losses and provides the payout.
This method is faster (no on-site loss assessment required), reduces disputes, and ensures farmers get money when they need it. Around the world, parametric models are becoming standard for modern, efficient agricultural insurance. A notable example is Pula Insurance — a leading provider of parametric agricultural insurance in Africa, serving smallholder farmers across countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Ghana. It protects over 12 million smallholder farmers using rainfall and satellite-based vegetation data to trigger the payments.
Where can farmers buy the new agri-policy?
Farmers in Kazakhstan can purchase an insurance policy very quickly online using a secure electronic signature on the Freedom Insurance website. The platform automatically verifies their land and crop information using satellite and geospatial data. If yields fall below 80% of normal levels due to drought, frost, or heavy rain, the system calculates the loss and pays the farmer directly.
Unlike traditional insurance, Freedom Holding’s policy protects income rather than just covering planting costs. Payouts are based on the five-year average market price and can cover up to 80% of lost yield. The product is backed by international reinsurance partners. This guarantees reliability even during widespread climate disasters.
What does the future look like?
Freedom Insurance exemplifies Kazakhstan’s digitalization goals in practice. By applying AI and satellite technology to agriculture, the company reduces risks for farmers, stabilizes the sector, and contributes to economic growth. Agriculture is a key segment of Kazakhstan’s economy. It supports rural communities, provides employment, and drives related industries, such as food processing, logistics, and agri-services. The sector is crucial for national food security and the stability of the rural economy.
When presenting the product to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, CEO Timur Turlov emphasized that the new insurance product is particularly useful for farmers, since insurance companies have traditionally avoided working with them due to forecasting challenges. By bringing the new product to Kazakhstan, Freedom is creating a modern, reliable solution that sets a new standard for agricultural insurance in the region.
Freedom Holding is working with regulators to include the policy in state-subsidized programs. If approved, the government could cover up to 80% of the insurance premium, lowering barriers for farmers and encouraging wider adoption. This cooperation demonstrates how private-sector innovation and public policy can work together to strengthen the digital economy.
What is Freedom Insurance?
Freedom Insurance is a part of Freedom Holding. It offers a wide range of insurance services in Kazakhstan, including auto insurance, property coverage, and other traditional products. The company is also a leader in digital innovation, using technology to make insurance faster, more transparent, and easier to access. Examples include online buying and managing policies, AI-based risk assessment, computer vision for verifying claims, etc. These innovations reduce paperwork, speed up payouts, improve customer experience, and, as a result, make the insurance business both profitable and sustainable.
What is Freedom Holding Corp.?
Freedom Holding Corp. is a digital ecosystem serving millions of clients across 22 countries in Europe, Asia, and North America. Its parent company, Freedom Holding Corp., has been listed on NASDAQ since 2019. As of October 2025, its market capitalization exceeded $10 billion.Over the 15 years of its history, Freedom has evolved from a local brokerage firm providing access to US stock markets into a diversified international financial and technology group.Today, it offers a broad range of services in addition to brokerage, including banking, insurance, payments, telecommunications, and lifestyle services such as e-commerce, travel, and ticket booking — all seamlessly integrated within the group’s mobile SuperApp.
By leveraging artificial intelligence technologies and big data analytics, Freedom delivers a personalized, top-notch experience to its customers across the ecosystem.
