MICROINSURANCE provider CashKO is expanding its calamity insurance program nationwide to provide financial assistance to households affected by typhoons and other natural disasters.
CashKO, the microinsurance subsidiary of local insurance technology firm RuralNet, said on Wednesday that it was scaling the program as disasters continue to threaten household income and livelihoods, particularly among underserved communities.The company also plans to launch a parametric insurance product — a type of insurance that covers the probability of a loss-causing event happening — in the fourth quarter, offering a faster payout mechanism based on predefined disaster conditions rather than individual damage assessments.“For vulnerable communities, the value of insurance is measured by how quickly and effectively it can help them recover when disaster strikes,” said Justin Arcenas, president and CEO of CashKO Insurance Brokerage.CashKO currently offers indemnity-based calamity insurance, under which policyholders receive payouts based on verified damage to their homes, supported by photographs and other required documents.The planned parametric insurance product, meanwhile, would trigger payouts once agreed thresholds for certain disasters, such as typhoon categories or earthquake magnitudes, are reached.CashKO said the parametric model would use satellite and ground-station data to determine whether the conditions for payouts have been met, potentially reducing the need for individual claims assessments.The company said the expanded program would combine indemnity and parametric insurance to provide financial institutions and their borrowers with protection suited to different disaster risks.Eligible assistance can typically provide around P5,000 in emergency support, CashKO said.Arcenas, speaking at the 2026 Microfinance Council of the Philippines Inc. annual conference, cited 2024 survey data showing that 87 percent of microfinance institution borrowers expressed interest in calamity protection, with typhoons identified as their primary concern.CashKO said its initial calamity insurance pilot had provided relief payouts to victims of typhoon Tino and Uwan.Since 2019, CashKO’s microinsurance network is said to have reached more than 6 million underserved Filipinos and approved more than 33,000 claims. More than 16,000 claims were processed in 2025 alone, according to the company.The insurer distributes its products through RuralNet’s digital, application programming interface-driven platform, allowing insurance coverage to be integrated into the systems of partner financial institutions.CashKO said the system allows it to tailor coverage parameters, payout thresholds and loan integration based on the needs and risk profiles of partner organizations and their members.CashKO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cebu-based insurance technology firm RuralNet, which provides digital infrastructure and distribution solutions for insurance providers serving low-income Filipinos.