In brief
The UN today launched a new insurance scheme that may provide up to US$40 million to help vulnerable populations buy food, safeguard property and relocate before disasters strike. The programme, led by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and backed by UNICEF and the World Food Programme, activates when weather forecasts predict an impending crisis and mobilises insurers if demand exceeds a set threshold. OCHA’s $150 million anticipatory action portfolio already reaches more than five million people.
On November 3, the United Nations announced a new insurance mechanism that could unlock as much as US$40 million to aid households and communities in preparing for imminent natural disasters.
The scheme is headed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is partnered with UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP). It works by allocating resources when meteorological forecasts indicate an approaching disaster; if the demand for assistance exceeds a predetermined threshold, insurers will step in to provide additional funds, allowing relief agencies to reach more people before conditions worsen.
The insurance layer is structured by Gallagher Re and backed by Liberty Mutual, with technical support from the Centre for Disaster Protection. In a statement, UN Under‑Secretary‑General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said the scheme “provides an additional line of defence to protect more people before conditions deteriorate, while improving the efficiency of available funding.”
WAM reports that OCHA’s existing $150 million anticipatory action portfolio already covers more than five million people. The new insurance mechanism is intended to safeguard that commitment during years of exceptionally high disaster risk and when multiple emergencies strain resources.
