Millions of workers in India face a growing threat from extreme heat, but unlike floods or storms, heat often leaves no visible damage, only lost income. So what happens when rising temperatures make it impossible to work? This report follows Shabnam, a tailor in Uttar Pradesh, and explores an unusual solution: insurance that pays workers automatically when temperatures cross a certain threshold.
Designed for informal workers who often lack financial safety nets, the scheme is already helping thousands in India cope with heat-related income losses. But can a weather-triggered payout truly capture the realities of heat stress? From questions about fairness and affordability to the challenges of scaling heatwave insurance in a warming world, what can we learn from this bold experiment?