Protecting Hawai‘i’s Coral Reefs with a First-of-Its-Kind Insurance Policy
The Nature Conservancy hopes a recently renewed insurance policy can protect the Islands’ reefs for years to come.
Photo: Getty Images
In 2022, The Nature Conservancy purchased the country’s first coral reef insurance policy, hoping it would help protect Hawai‘i’s reefs, which had suffered massive damage in 2015 from record-breaking warm ocean temperatures. The policy was approved for renewal earlier this year.
The Nature Conservancy, a global organization committed to environmental preservation, was inspired by similar policies in place in Mexico and Central America. The nonprofit’s policy pays from $200,000 to $1 million to assess and repair coral reef breakage. Reattaching broken coral using nontoxic adhesives could help sustain Hawai‘i’s reefs for years to come, says TNC marine project manager Julia Rose. “You could look at this as a crazy idea, right? We’re going out and we’re literally gluing corals back down,” she says.
One of the biggest challenges with coral preservation is the short window in which broken corals can be reattached. That’s why insurance funding is crucial. TNC’s insurance policy is currently in effect statewide, offering coverage in the advent of hurricanes, tropical storms and major swells that may cause coral breakage. So far, TNC has not had to file any claims.
To mobilize quickly, TNC is supported by 12 other organizations through the Hawaiʻi Emergency Reef Restoration Network. “What I’m most excited about for reef restoration in Hawai‘i is that we’re all learning from each other and working together,” Rose says.
Esmé Betsch is the spring 2026 editorial intern for HONOLULU Magazine.
