With the 2025 hurricane season intensifying, the Insurance Association of Jamaica (IAJ) is sounding the alarm: an estimated 95% of insured residential properties in Jamaica are underinsured, leaving thousands of homeowners vulnerable to financial disaster.
The startling figure is at the heart of the IAJ’s new public education campaign, “Real Value. Real Coverage.” Designed to reach Jamaicans both locally and overseas, the initiative urges property owners to urgently reassess their insurance coverage before storms, fires, or floods strike.
The message follows the devastation left by Hurricane Beryl, which tore through sections of southern and central Jamaica in 2024. The Category 4 storm destroyed homes, flattened crops, and caused widespread power outages — a painful reminder of how quickly disaster can strike and the steep cost of recovery for those inadequately insured.
“Every year we see the same thing — policyholders insure their homes or commercial properties based on outdated values and never revisit them,” said Rosemarie Henry, President of the IAJ. “When a hurricane hits, the insurance payout is nowhere near what’s needed to rebuild or repair. That gap can devastate lives.”
Currently, only about 20% of Jamaica’s residential properties are insured, and even among those, the vast majority fall short of true replacement cost. The IAJ points to past disasters like Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which exposed just how widespread and damaging underinsurance can be.
At the root of the problem is a common misconception: that once a property is insured, it remains adequately protected. But with inflation, rising construction costs, and increasing property values, outdated policies can quickly become worthless in a crisis.
“Imagine buying insurance 10 years ago, never updating the value, and today your roof is blown off in a Category Four hurricane,” Henry explained. “The payout won’t cover half of what you need to rebuild. That’s the reality for too many Jamaicans.”
The IAJ’s call to action is simple: “Don’t Guess. Get Covered.” Property owners are urged to:
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Review their policy details and valuation date
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Obtain a current professional valuation
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Contact their insurer to update their coverage
“The hurricane season doesn’t wait for you to get ready,” Henry warned. “Your policy should reflect today’s reality, not yesterday’s estimate.”
