Evaluating Sovereign Disaster Risk Finance Strategies : A Framework

Discusses the framework in the context of a hypothetical country, with parameters selected to represent a disaster-prone small island state.

Abstract

This paper proposes a framework for ex ante evaluation of sovereign disaster risk finance instruments available to governments for funding disaster losses.

The framework can be used by governments to help choose between different financial instruments, or between different combinations of instruments, to achieve appropriate and financially efficient strategies to fund disaster losses, taking into account the risk of disasters, economic conditions, and political constraints.

The paper discusses the framework in the context of a hypothetical country, with parameters selected to represent a disaster-prone small island state. The paper shows how a mix of instruments can be chosen to minimize the economic opportunity cost given the underlying disaster risk faced and prevailing economic and financial conditions.

This working paper received financial support from the Department for International’s Humanitarian Innovation Evidence Programme (HIEP) Sovereign Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance Project.

Citation

Clarke, Daniel; Mahul, Olivier; Poulter, Richard; Teh, Tse Ling.; Evaluating Sovereign Disaster Risk Finance Strategies : A Framework. Policy Research Working Paper;No 7721. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. (2016) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/24637 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Evaluating Sovereign Disaster Risk Finance Strategies : A Framework

Published 10 June 2016