Glossary

Index

In risk finance, an index is an indicator or measure that is chosen to be a good proxy for a type of shock, and used to determine payouts. For example, tropical cyclone categories used as an index for property damage or area average yield as a measure of lost agricultural production. Modelled estimates of damage costs are also used as indices (Centre for Disaster Protection).

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other key terms

Sovereign insurance

Sovereign insurance is insurance coverage purchased by a national government to protect its budget against the financial impacts of disasters.

International development financing

Public funding flows supporting development objectives in lower income countries.

Prevention

Actions taken to avoid or reduce the impacts of future crises and hazards.

Vulnerability

Conditions that increase how severely people or communities are affected by hazards.

Covariate shocks

Shocks affecting many households at once where losses are shared across the same community.

Disaster risk management

Policies and actions to reduce disaster risks, manage impacts and strengthen resilience.