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Parametric insurance triggers

Payouts triggered by measurements everyone trusts.

Parametric insurance pays when a measured index crosses a threshold: rainfall too low, wind too strong, a river too high. It pays fast only if every party trusts the measurement. Stations built to the WMO guide, signed at the source and audited, give insurers, reinsurers and policyholders the same number.

Plan a deploymentHow it worksStation Builder
Industry
Insurance and finance
Measurements
4
Sources cited
5
  1. Insurance and finance · Parametric insurance triggers

    Money moves on a number

    Parametric insurance pays when a measured index crosses a threshold, so it can pay in days rather than months. That works only if insurers, reinsurers and policyholders all trust the measurement. Supervisors look closely at basis risk, transparency and fair treatment.

  2. What is measured

    The index, measured

    Reference rain gauges, anemometers and river gauges measure the quantities the policy pays on, sited to represent the insured area and calibrated to traceable references. Tamper sensors in each enclosure record any opening. Every instrument keeps its calibration and position with the site record.

    Instruments
    Reference rain gauges · Anemometers · River gauges · Tamper sensors
  3. The base node

    Signed at the source

    The node signs every reading at the source, computes the index exactly as the policy defines it, detects tampering from enclosure sensors and data patterns, and keeps a full archive so any payout can be reproduced by any party. Every value is signed at the node before it leaves.

  4. Radio and links

    Reporting through the event

    Stations report over cellular where coverage exists, with a satellite path that keeps data flowing through the storms and floods the policy covers. All parties read the same signed index through the same interface. When one path fails, the other carries the data.

    Links
    Public cellular · Satellite
  5. How it works

    From a failed season to a payout

    The rainy season fails across an insured district. The rainfall index accumulates below the trigger by the policy’s end date; the signed calculation is released to insurer, reinsurer and farmer groups, and payouts reach farmers within days, before they must sell assets.

  6. From order to operation · Order

    Scope the index with the insurer

    The scope reads the policy design, insured areas, the index definition and the basis risk analysis. Nexus Observatory Inc. returns the station plan, index calculation, audit design and a price per station and per year. The scope is agreed before any site work begins.

    Plan a deployment
  7. From order to operation · Survey

    Survey for representativeness

    Crews survey candidate sites for how well they represent the insured area, exposure to the WMO siting classes, security, power and backhaul. Findings feed the basis risk analysis. Findings shape the kit for each site before anything is built. Every finding is kept with the site record for the crews who follow.

  8. From order to operation · Permits

    Land and agreements

    Land agreements protect each site, and the insurer, reinsurer and policyholder representatives agree the data rules and dispute process. Every agreement is kept with the programme record. No crew goes to site before its approvals are in place. Approvals are tracked site by site, so nothing waits unseen.

  9. From order to operation · Build

    Build and calibrate

    Sensors are calibrated against traceable references, enclosures fitted with tamper sensors, nodes enrolled with their identities and signing keys, and stations run together before shipping. Nothing ships until the whole kit has passed its tests together. Test results travel with the kit to the site.

    Open the Station Builder
  10. From order to operation · Install

    Install and secure

    Crews install stations to the siting classes, secure enclosures and fences, connect power and both backhaul paths, and record every part with photographs witnessed by the parties where required. Crews follow the site safety plan throughout the work. The site record is updated before the crew leaves.

  11. From order to operation · Commission

    Commission and witness

    Each node proves its identity. Readings are compared with a travelling reference and nearby official stations, the index calculation is tested against history, and parties witness the results. Acceptance is recorded with the owner before handover. Results are signed and kept with the site record.

  12. From order to operation · Operate

    Pay on the index

    All parties see the index as it accumulates. When it crosses the trigger, the calculation and signed readings are released together, and payouts move in days, not months. Every alert and action is kept on the record. Reports for owners and funders come from the same record.

  13. From order to operation · Maintain

    Audit and recalibrate

    Stations are recalibrated on the agreed plan, audits check data integrity and availability, software is updated in rings, and every change is recorded so any past index can be reproduced. Maintenance history stays with each site for its whole life.

    Book field services
  14. Data products

    For insurers, policyholders and supervisors

    Insurers, reinsurers and policyholders receive signed index values; claims and finance teams receive trigger notifications; supervisors and auditors receive audit trails; product designers receive basis risk reviews, each tied to station and period. Every product can be traced back to its readings.

    See the data products
  15. Evidence

    Trusted by every party

    Measurements follow the WMO instrument and hydrological guides, data integrity follows the information security standard, and the programme answers supervisors’ concerns on index-based insurance and fair claims handling. Every reading is signed and archived. The record is kept for as long as the duty lasts.

    Drawn against
    Issues Paper on Index-based Insurances · Insurance Core Principles · WMO-No. 8 · WMO-No. 168 · ISO/IEC 27001
  16. What you get

    Independent measurement feeds for parametric triggers

    Calibrated, tamper-evident measurement feeds that a risk carrier may name as the index source. The group writes no insurance and makes no payout decision. Delivered as data licence, for insurers, reinsurers, brokers, risk pools. Scale: Portfolio scale. Service levels are written as numbers you can measure on your own dashboard.

    Talk to sales
  17. Next step

    Plan parametric insurance triggers with us

    Tell us the site, the measurements and the rules it answers to. We reply with a survey proposal, a design and a scope for parametric insurance triggers. An engineer replies with a survey proposal and a scope, and the plan grows from one site to the network you need, at your pace.

    Plan a deploymentOpen the Station BuilderOpen the Studio

01The place and its hazards

Where it runs, and what can go wrong.

Operating contextIndex-based insurance is reviewed by insurance supervisors for basis risk, transparency and consumer protection, and insurers must treat policyholders fairly and settle claims promptly under the core principles of supervision. Index measurements must be accurate, available and protected against tampering, because money moves on them.

Hazards

  • Basis risk when the station is far from the loss
  • Station gaps during the very event insured
  • Tampering or disputes over readings
  • Indices that cannot be reproduced afterwards
  • Payouts delayed by manual data checks

02What must be measured

What, where, how often, and under which rules.

Each measurement names where it is taken, how often, and the public standard or regulation behind it. Numbers in the sources column open the cited source below.

MeasurementWhereCadenceSources
Rainfall and drought indicesGauges sited for each insured areaEvery few minutes, daily totals12
Wind speed and gustsAnemometers at standard heightEvery few seconds, peak gusts1
River level and flood durationGauges at rated sectionsEvery few minutes3
Data integrity and availabilityEvery reading, signed and loggedContinuous45

03The observation stack

From one base unit to a network.

The same blocks at every scale: instruments and a base node, a site with its radio, a fleet run as one, and a network federated on the open protocol.

  1. 01

    Base unit

    A station: reference weather or river sensors on a sensor hub with a node that signs every reading.

    Build a station →
  2. 02

    Site

    A site: the station in a secured enclosure with solar power and two backhaul paths.

    Plan a site →
  3. 03

    Fleet

    Every station of a programme, with one index calculation and audit trail.

    Managed offers →
  4. 04

    Network

    Insurers, reinsurers, policyholders and supervisors read the same signed index through open standards.

    The open protocol →
  • 01Automatic weather station (WMO class)
  • 02Compact weather station
  • 03Water level gauge
  • 04Sensor and instrument gateway
  • 05Micro node (Nano)
  • 06Cellular modem/router
  • 07LEO flat-panel terminal
  • 08Solar array
  • 09Pole

Radio and links

Public cellular

Stations report over cellular where coverage exists.

Radio and links

Satellite

A satellite path keeps data flowing through the storms and floods the policy covers.

Edge computeThe node signs every reading at the source, computes the index as the policy defines it, detects tampering from enclosure sensors and data patterns, and keeps a full archive so any payout can be reproduced.

PowerSolar with batteries sized for the worst season, so the station reports through the event it insures.

04How it works

From the instrument to the product.

One observation’s path, tier by tier, with the interface on every link and a bill of materials below; then how the one node grows to a site, a fleet and federated networks.

Parametric insurance triggers: data path

– of 07

01 Instruments Measurement with sensor identity andcalibration 02 Gateway 03 Node – Wrap in an observation envelope with timequality– Measure quality and uncertainty, attachquality flags– Buffer locally (store-and-forward when thelink drops) 04 Backhaul Commit with transactional outbox andpublish, delivered at least once 05 Site Consumer inbox deduplicates and applieseach record once into governed data 06 Data store Governed product through API, map orexport, correction-aware 07 Products OGC SensorThings APIJSON Web SignatureWMO WIS 2.0 08 Power and structure Supplies 12 V DC, 48 V DC to the fieldequipment 01 Automatic weather station (WMOclass) SDI-12 · RS-485 · Ethernet 02 Compact weather station SDI-12 · RS-485 · Ethernet 03 Water level gauge SDI-12 · RS-485 · Ethernet 04 Sensor and instrument gateway SDI-12 · RS-485 · Analogue I/O ·Ethernet · USB 05 Micro node (Nano) Ethernet · USB · Analogue I/O ·RS-485 · CAN 06 Cellular modem/router Ethernet · USB · RS-232 07 LEO flat-panel terminal Ethernet Site MQTT 5 with Sparkplug B Governed data store Versioned, correction-aware Signed index values Trigger notifications Audit trails Basis risk reviews 08 Solar array RS-485 09 Pole SDI-12 · SDI-12 SDI-12 · SDI-12 SDI-12 · SDI-12 Ethernet · MQTT 5 Ethernet Ethernet LTE/NR Satellite IP
From the instrument to the published product: each band is a tier, each connector names its interface, and the numbers match the bill of materials. Hover or focus a block to trace its path; scroll or step to follow one observation.
Bill of materials
ItemEquipmentData portsProtocolsPower in
01Automatic weather station (WMO class)Automatic weather station built and sited to WMO-No. 8 instrument and siting classes, reporting WIGOS metadata.SDI-12RS-485EthernetSDI-12, Modbus, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API12 V DC
02Compact weather stationAll-in-one or compact station for temperature, humidity, pressure, wind and rain at a site.SDI-12RS-485EthernetSDI-12, Modbus, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API12 V DC
03Water level gaugeRadar, pressure or float gauge for river, lake, reservoir or tide level.SDI-12RS-485EthernetSDI-12, Modbus, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API12 V DC
04Sensor and instrument gatewayData logger and gateway that reads instruments on SDI-12, RS-485, analogue and Ethernet ports and publishes observations with calibration and time.SDI-12RS-485Analogue I/OEthernetUSBSDI-12, Modbus, MQTT 5, OGC SensorThings API, OGC API Connected Systems, OMA LwM2M12 V DC, PoE
05Micro node (Nano)Single-board or module-class node for sensor sites, gateways and low-power deployments.EthernetUSBAnalogue I/ORS-485CANMQTT 5, OMA LwM2M, CoAPPoE, 12 V DC, USB PD
06Cellular modem/routerLTE or NR modem or router that uses a public carrier or private network as backhaul.EthernetUSBRS-2323GPP E-UTRA air interface, 3GPP NR air interface, OMA LwM2M12 V DC, PoE
07LEO flat-panel terminalElectronically steered flat-panel user terminal for low-Earth-orbit broadband constellations.Ethernet—PoE, 48 V DC, AC mains
08Solar arrayPV modules with charge controller sized to the site’s load and climate.RS-485Modbus—
09PoleUtility, street or dedicated pole with clamp positions.———

How it scales

01 Instruments Arbitrary qualified sensors and instruments whosemeasurements are ingested with calibration, units,geometry, time, custody and uncertainty. ×n 02 Node The minimum useful deployable unit: server, ruggedappliance, radio node, sensor gateway, satelliteterminal, AI, scientific, vehicle or virtual node. Node Node agent 03 Site The minimum independently operable localgovernance and failure domain: one or more nodesplus local network, identity, policy, evidence,storage, products and operator surfaces.

SITE

Node Node Node ×n 04 Cluster An optional scale or specialisation domain forscheduling, shared storage, accelerators or datalocality.

CLUSTER

×n 05 Fleet Coordinates plans, acknowledgements,convergence evidence, update campaigns andcorrection propagation across nodes and sites.

FLEET

Fleet controller ×n 06 Federation An exchange of products, capabilities, events orwork across approved, independently administeredtrust domains, using explicit trust, policy,data-locality, version and correction contracts.

TRUST DOMAIN

TRUST DOMAIN

TRUST DOMAIN

×n Verifier Applications Data in the field Telemetry Control Data upstream Control Data upstream Control Exchange Evidence Events Exchange
The smallest deployable unit is one node; the same unit is replicated to meet the demand. Nodes form a site, sites may form a cluster, sites and clusters are coordinated as a fleet, and fleets exchange across independently administered trust domains. Each plane is a separate channel with its own open binding.
Data in the field
MQTT 5 with Sparkplug B; connectors for LoRaWAN, OPC UA and instrument buses.
Telemetry
OpenTelemetry OTLP.
Control
TLS 1.3 with mutual authentication; protobuf messages over gRPC or HTTP/2.
Data upstream
At-least-once publication with repeat-safe keys over the control channel or NATS JetStream; QUIC MAY be used on lossy links.
Evidence
DSSE-signed in-toto statements; SLSA provenance; SCITT transparency receipts.
Events
Event envelopes mapped to CloudEvents 1.0; channels described in AsyncAPI 3.
Exchange
OpenAPI 3.1; the OGC API family; SensorThings; STAC; WIS 2.0.

05From order to operation

Every step, from the first call to a running site.

The same crew and the same record carry the work from scope to maintenance.

  1. 01 Order

    Scope the index with the insurer

    The scope reads the policy design, insured areas, the index definition and the basis risk analysis. Nexus Observatory Inc. returns the station plan, index calculation, audit design and a price per station and per year. The scope is agreed before any site work begins. 2

  2. 02 Survey

    Survey for representativeness

    Crews survey candidate sites for how well they represent the insured area, exposure to the WMO siting classes, security, power and backhaul. Findings feed the basis risk analysis. Findings shape the kit for each site before anything is built. Every finding is kept with the site record for the crews who follow. 1

  3. 03 Permits

    Land and agreements

    Land agreements protect each site, and the insurer, reinsurer and policyholder representatives agree the data rules and dispute process. Every agreement is kept with the programme record. No crew goes to site before its approvals are in place. Approvals are tracked site by site, so nothing waits unseen.

  4. 04 Build

    Build and calibrate

    Sensors are calibrated against traceable references, enclosures fitted with tamper sensors, nodes enrolled with their identities and signing keys, and stations run together before shipping. Nothing ships until the whole kit has passed its tests together. Test results travel with the kit to the site. 4

  5. 05 Install

    Install and secure

    Crews install stations to the siting classes, secure enclosures and fences, connect power and both backhaul paths, and record every part with photographs witnessed by the parties where required. Crews follow the site safety plan throughout the work. The site record is updated before the crew leaves.

  6. 06 Commission

    Commission and witness

    Each node proves its identity. Readings are compared with a travelling reference and nearby official stations, the index calculation is tested against history, and parties witness the results. Acceptance is recorded with the owner before handover. Results are signed and kept with the site record. 5

  7. 07 Operate

    Pay on the index

    All parties see the index as it accumulates. When it crosses the trigger, the calculation and signed readings are released together, and payouts move in days, not months. Every alert and action is kept on the record. Reports for owners and funders come from the same record. 52

  8. 08 Maintain

    Audit and recalibrate

    Stations are recalibrated on the agreed plan, audits check data integrity and availability, software is updated in rings, and every change is recorded so any past index can be reproduced. Maintenance history stays with each site for its whole life. 4

06Data products and integration

What it delivers, to whom, and into which systems.

Data products

  • Signed index valuesInsurers, reinsurers and policyholders
  • Trigger notificationsClaims and finance teams
  • Audit trailsSupervisors and auditors
  • Basis risk reviewsProduct designers

Integration

  • Policy administrationTriggers reach claims systems with the signed calculation.
  • ReinsurersIndex data are shared under the treaty.
  • SupervisorsAudit trails are available on request.

Exchanged through OGC SensorThings API, JSON Web Signature, WMO WIS 2.0.

07Questions buyers ask

Before you scope it.

Can readings be disputed?

Signed readings and archives let any party reproduce the index.

What if the station fails in the storm?

Solar, batteries and satellite carry it through.

How is basis risk reduced?

By siting stations to represent the insured area.

How fast is payout?

As fast as the policy allows once the trigger is reached.

08Resources

The sources behind this page.

Public standards, regulations and guidance, cited where they apply. Each applies only where its jurisdiction or scope does.

  1. 1WMO-No. 8: Guide to Instruments and Methods of ObservationWorld Meteorological Organization
  2. 2Issues Paper on Index-based Insurances, particularly in Inclusive Insurance MarketsInternational Association of Insurance Supervisors · 2018
  3. 3WMO-No. 168: Guide to Hydrological PracticesWorld Meteorological Organization
  4. 4ISO/IEC 27001: Information security management systemsInternational Organization for Standardization
  5. 5Insurance Core PrinciplesInternational Association of Insurance Supervisors

09Related

Use cases and solutions.

Use case

Agromet cooperative network

Compact weather stations and soil probes on farms, feeding irrigation, frost and disease models for a cooperative or an insurer.The full use case →
Solution

Independent measurement feeds for parametric triggers

Calibrated, tamper-evident measurement feeds that a risk carrier may name as the index source.Solutions for insurance and finance →
Solution

Observation data products and evidence bundles

Licensed feeds and archives with metadata, quality flags and provenance on every value; evidence bundles for audits and claims processes.Solutions for insurance and finance →
Solution

Hydrometeorological and flood observing networks

Stream gauges, rain gauges, weather radar and automatic weather stations built to WMO practice, reporting through WIS 2.0 where the agency requires it.Solutions for insurance and finance →

10Insurance and finance: specialized fields

Other fields of this industry.

Specialized field

Physical climate risk for portfolios

Measured hazards at the sites of a portfolio, from flood and heat to subsidence, so lenders, investors and insurers assess and disclose physical climate risk with evidence.The full field →
Specialized field

Bankable wind and solar resource

Met masts, lidars and irradiance stations that measure wind and solar resources to the standards lenders require, so renewable projects reach financial close on evidence.The full field →
Specialized field

Event and claims verification

Flood depth sensors, drone surveys and site weather that verify what happened at insured properties after an event, so claims are settled faster and fairly.The full field →

Bring us the site.

Plan a deployment, configure a station, model it in the Studio or talk to sales. The form names who receives your details.

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