Catastrophe bonds, financial instruments designed to transfer disaster risks from issuers to investors, have delivered significant returns, with investors seeing average gains of around 15% in 2024. However, these profits come at a cost, particularly for issuers like Jamaica, whose recent $150 million bond did not trigger after Hurricane Beryl, despite widespread devastation.
Jamaica’s Missed Payout Raises Questions
The bond’s failure to trigger—despite the entire island being declared a disaster area—has sparked criticism. The issue stems from the bond’s parametric trigger, which required a specific air pressure level that Beryl narrowly missed. This outcome has led to a debate about the fairness of such rigid conditions, which can leave vulnerable nations without adequate financial support in times of need.
Growing Criticism from Affected Regions
The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has voiced concerns over the financial dynamics of catastrophe bonds, calling for a review of their effectiveness. The Vulnerable Twenty Group (V20), representing countries highly exposed to climate change, argues that the narrow and rigid triggers are becoming increasingly problematic. They suggest that these triggers, while protecting investors, are leaving nations like Jamaica exposed to significant risk.
Potential Changes in the Market
Analysts suggest that the parameters for triggering payouts might become even more restrictive in the future, covering only the most severe and rare events. While this would protect investors, it could further limit the usefulness of catastrophe bonds for the regions most in need of financial protection. The World Bank, which helped arrange Jamaica’s bond, acknowledges the trade-off between more frequent payouts and higher costs, noting that lowering the trigger thresholds would increase the cost of these instruments.
Broader Implications for Risk Management
The controversy surrounding Jamaica’s catastrophe bond has broader implications for the insurance and financial sectors. With climate change increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters, there is growing pressure to rethink how risks are managed and shared. As some countries, like the Philippines, reconsider their reliance on catastrophe bonds in favor of other insurance models, the future of these financial instruments is under close scrutiny.