Due to different hazard risk profiles for each of the islands in the twin-island republic, the Government purchases two separate CCRIF policies for excess rainfall – one for Trinidad and one for Tobago. This payout is being made on the excess rainfall policy for Trinidad.

Since Trinidad and Tobago purchased coverage for excess rainfall in 2017, the country has received payouts under its excess rainfall policy each year – five payouts totalling US$12.5 million. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago also has cover for tropical cyclones (one policy for Trinidad and one for Tobago) and for earthquakes.

Losses reflect property damage and business interruption to residential, commercial, automobile, industrial, infrastructure, marine cargo and specie, watercraft, and other speciality lines of business, along with post-event loss amplification (PLA) and non-modeled sources of loss. 

U.S. President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Louisiana, ordering federal assistance to bolster recovery efforts in more than two-dozen storm-stricken parishes. Ida slammed ashore around noon near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, a hub of the Gulf’s offshore energy industry, blasting the coast with hurricane-force winds extending 50 miles (80 km) out from the eye of the storm. Landfall came 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina, one of the most catastrophic on record, struck the Gulf Coast.

Martin Bertogg, head of catastrophic perils at Swiss Re, said that the industry had been challenged by what is known as “secondary perils.” That is, while the insurance industry has historically done a good job of modeling relatively rare but potentially devastating events such as earthquakes and hurricanes, it’s battling to keep up with risks posed by snow storms, hail, tornadoes and wildfires. Those used to cause relatively minor damage but are increasingly morphing into something more costly. And that is a problem for companies, since many Americans have coverage for such events.

The natural disaster is likely to cost insurers around $250 million, according to catastrophe modeling firm Karen Clark & Co. (KCC).

While the insured losses from this event are estimated at $250 million, the KCC Caribbean Earthquake Reference Model shows that insurable losses are around $1.7 billion (which indicates an insurance protection gap of approximately $1.45 billion), said the firm

In addition to the dead and wounded, initial reports indicate more than 700 collapsed buildings, including hospitals and schools, more than 13,000 homes destroyed, and significant damage to roads.