Ja’s insurance regulator to publish Hurricane Melissa claims review amid settlement delays

Jamaica’s financial regulator, the Financial Services Commission (FSC), said it aims to publish an updated assessment of Hurricane Melissa insurance claims next Friday, as it presses insurers over payouts that some households and businesses are still waiting to receive.

“Nearly a year after Hurricane Melissa, many households and businesses are still waiting for their insurance claims to be settled,” said Keron Burrell, the commission’s executive director, in a release issued on Thursday. “Our focus is on establishing a reliable picture of the outstanding claims and working directly with insurers to address the issues slowing the settlement process.”

Burrell noted that delayed payments can hold up home repairs, business continuity and employment, and can slow Jamaica’s wider economic recovery.

The FSC will give an update on the number of settled and outstanding claims to date, and will also provide the factors behind the delays.

“The FSC is targeting October 16, 2026,” the release said. “The FSC intends to publish verified findings that provide a clearer picture of claims-settlement progress, while distinguishing between claims that have been fully settled, partly settled, agreed but awaiting payment, disputed or still under assessment,” the regulator said.

The commission continues to meet with insurers to determine where delays are occurring and whether further supervisory action is needed, with particular attention to prolonged settlement periods, communication with policyholders and claims requiring extra assessment or documentation. Settling claims remains the insurers’ responsibility under the terms of each policy, the regulator said.

General insurance liabilities rose from $63.3 billion in September 2025, before the hurricane, to $151.7 billion in June 2026. Part of that fluctuation reflects the impact of Melissa, although the commission cautioned that the figures have limits.

“The commission’s current analysis of claims data is intended to provide a more accurate account of settlement progress,” the regulator said of the figures.

Burrell said a sound insurance industry must be matched by fair treatment of policyholders. “We expect insurers to communicate clearly, explain settlement decisions and take the necessary steps to resolve outstanding matters as promptly as possible,” he said.

Policyholders who are dissatisfied with an insurer’s handling of a claim should first use the insurer’s complaints process, the commission said. They can then submit a written complaint to the FSC.

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