Hoteliers still awaiting hurricane Melissa insurance payouts

September 28, 2026

Hoteliers are still awaiting millions of dollars in Hurricane Melissa insurance payouts, with operators forced to plug the financial gaps themselves.

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is sounding the alarm as the insurance industry’s September deadline for settling most claims draws to a close.

JHTA President O’Brian Heron says the problem is no longer simply the damage left behind by the hurricane.

He explains that for many operators, the new crisis is getting insurers to pay what they say is owed and getting that money in time to support businesses still struggling to recover.

He says 28 per cent of hotels have yet to reopen while operators continue to finance repairs out of their own pockets due to unresolved insurance claims.

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In August, the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the Insurance Association of Jamaica, the Jamaica Insurance Brokers Association and the Loss Adjusters’ Association of Jamaica committed to settling the vast majority of Hurricane Melissa claims by the end of September, excluding complex and litigated matters.

However, Mr. Heron says the tourism sector is on course to miss that target.

He noted that a survey of JHTA members found that only 39 per cent of tourism claimants have received full settlement and payment.

That leaves 61 per cent still waiting somewhere in the claims process.

For an industry already dealing with the cost of rebuilding, Mr. Heron says the delays are creating a working capital squeeze.

He said claims are being paid slowly and settled short.

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The Association is pressing for greater transparency, as the industry’s September settlement commitment comes due.

It wants insurers to publicly report how many commercial and tourism claims remain open and to provide every outstanding claimant with a named contact and a written timeline for resolution.

The JHTA is also calling on the FSC to ensure that its review of the average-clause mechanism takes into account the experiences of commercial and tourism policyholders and to publish its conclusions.

It further wants the industry and regulator to establish a formal catastrophe-claims protocol before the next major storm, including provisions to rapidly increase loss-adjuster capacity when a disaster strikes.