Contrasting Coping in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean

This research paper compares the socio-economic profiles and disaster coping mechanisms of low-income persons in the agriculture and tourism sectors across the Caribbean (Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Lucia) and the South West Indian Ocean (Mauritius and the Seychelles). The study evaluates the demand for microinsurance as a tool to reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events.

• Low-income populations in both the Caribbean and South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) regions are highly dependent on services, particularly tourism, which exposes them to international economic volatility and climate-related hazards.
• There is a significant regional difference in financial institution preference: Caribbean respondents rely heavily on credit unions, whereas SWIO respondents primarily use commercial banks.
• The use of savings as a 'pseudo-insurance' mechanism is the dominant coping strategy for extreme weather events in both regions, but it is significantly more prevalent in the SWIO (64.7%) than in the Caribbean (36.2%).
• Caribbean respondents are more likely to employ 'high level stressors' when coping with disasters, specifically the practice of 'doing nothing' (not repairing or replacing damaged assets), which accounted for 23% of responses compared to 5.4% in the SWIO.
• When savings are unavailable, low-income persons in the SWIO tend to switch to informal and formal borrowing, while those in the Caribbean are more likely to 'do nothing' or seek government assistance.
• Insurance penetration for weather-related risks is marginal in both regions; while 38% of Caribbean and 53% of SWIO respondents have some form of insurance, most policies cover life or vehicles rather than property or crops.
• The primary barriers to obtaining insurance in both regions are cost, lack of knowledge, and a lack of trust in insurance companies to pay promised claims.
• Risk perceptions vary by region: SWIO respondents perceive a higher risk of crop and livestock loss due to flooding and drought, while Caribbean respondents perceive a higher risk of house damage from high winds.
• There is a strong preference for rapid payouts in the event of a disaster, with 90% of Caribbean and 86% of SWIO respondents requiring funds within two weeks or less.
• The author recommends that microinsurance products should be implemented through public-private partnerships to ensure affordability and coverage in high-risk coastal zones, as purely private or government-led models are often inadequate.

APA

Lashley, J. G. (2013). Contrasting Coping in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/WP2-Contrasting-Coping.pdf

Chicago

Lashley, Jonathan G. Contrasting Coping in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/WP2-Contrasting-Coping.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lashley |first1=Jonathan G. |title=Contrasting Coping in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=October 2013 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/WP2-Contrasting-Coping.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lashley2013contrasting, author = {Lashley, Jonathan G.}, title = {{Contrasting Coping in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = oct, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/WP2-Contrasting-Coping.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }