Parametric heat insurance has paid out more than ₹2.06m (approx. US$21,650) to women informal workers in India after extreme temperatures exceeded predefined thresholds, according to a LinkedIn post by Mahila Housing Trust (MHT).
The payout forms part of a parametric heat insurance programme led by MHT with support from Humanity Insured. In 2026, the initiative is being implemented with Humanity Insured, HERA and CelsiusPro to protect vulnerable women workers in Gujarat and Delhi from the financial impact of extreme heat.
According to the trust, more than 39,300 women workers are currently insured under the programme, including 30,800 in Gujarat and 8,500 in Delhi. The scheme covers workers in heat-exposed occupations such as street vending, domestic work, home-based work, waste collection and construction.
MHT said that extreme heat this year crossed the programme’s predefined trigger, resulting in automatic insurance payouts without the need for individual loss assessments. A total of ₹2.06m (US$21,688) was paid to insured women workers across Gujarat and Delhi to help offset income losses during periods of dangerous heat.
The organisation said extreme heat is increasingly affecting the health and livelihoods of informal women workers, with higher temperatures contributing to illness, lost wages, medical expenses and food insecurity.
MHT said the programme is intended to demonstrate how parametric insurance can provide rapid financial assistance following climate-related events while supporting longer-term resilience for vulnerable communities. The initiative focuses on women working in markets, streets, homes, construction sites and other environments exposed to prolonged heat.
The payout comes as parametric climate insurance models focused on women’s livelihoods are expanding in India. Global Parametrics, part of the CelsiusPro Group, and Frontier Markets have launched a separate gender-smart product for smallholder women farmers facing drought and excess moisture risks during the November 2025 to April 2026 Rabi season, with Go Digit as local insurer, Howden India as broker and Humanity Insured providing premium subsidy support.
