As cost of climate disasters grows, some investors profit with catastrophe bonds
Even as Tropical Storm Idalia heads toward Florida, hedge funds, pension plans and the ultrarich are increasingly putting their money into these insurance-linked securities
That’s a relief! And here I was, worried that the apocalypse was going to be unprofitable for the 1%.
Insurers unload some of their risk by selling cat bonds, which require investors to pay damages resulting from a natural disaster, if specific conditions are met. The bonds offer fat returns, but carry the risk of total loss of principal if the worst happens.
Quite the opposite! The apocalypse will cost them a lot of money. Maybe that would incentivize them to work to avoid it, although I doubt it.