While Jamaica’s trade and commerce industries experienced some decline in business activities from the threat posed by Hurricane Matthew, most insurance companies saw an up tick in homeowner’s insurance transactions.

Last Friday, the Meteorological Service advised that Hurricane Matthew would not spare the island as it moved into the central Caribbean, having dumped heavy showers on eastern Caribbean countries and causing at least one death.

The system threatened both livelihood and property after reaching wind speeds of 155 mph, labelling it as a Category Five hurricane — the top hurricane classification before it was downgraded to a Category Four. In Jamaica’s favour, Hurricane Matthew later moved north-west towards Haiti.

“What we got was a flood of calls about renewals as well as increases in the sums insured. People would normally renew their policies, but not so quickly,” assistant vice-president of business development at Guardian General Insurance Jamaica Limited, Sheraley Bridgeman, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Matthew-creates-flood-of-insurance-enquiries_76165