Private market insured losses from Hurricane Melissa could reach $US3 billion ($4.6 billion) to $US5 billion ($7.7 billion) after Jamaica was slammed by the “generational” storm, Moody’s RMS Event Response says.

The range, with a $US3.5 billion ($5.4 billion) “best estimate”, mostly reflects damage from category 5 wind in Jamaica, with minimal losses expected in other Caribbean islands including the Bahamas, Haiti, and Turks and Caicos.

Moody’s RMS says Jamaican economic losses could exceed the island’s GDP, which was about $US20 billion ($31 billion) last year.

“Hurricane Melissa was truly a generational event for Jamaica and will be the storm that defined the 2025 North Atlantic hurricane season,” Moody’s director for North Atlantic hurricane models Jeff Waters said.

The Jamaican capital Kingston was largely spared, but many other towns were devastated by wind and inland flooding.

“Being an island, repairs and recovery will inevitably go through significant supply chain challenges, even as several key ports on the island remain operational,” Mr Waters said. “For these reasons, we expect recovery efforts to take several months, if not years.”

Moody’s RMS says Jamaican hotels have near-total insurance cover and take-up in other commercial lines is high, but there could be significant underinsurance due to inadequate limits.

Personal lines take-up is uneven, with low coverage for single-family homes, particularly outside affluent urban areas.

Melissa came ashore at category 5 strength near New Hope on October 28.

It was the strongest and most intense hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica since records began in 1851.

Melissa was the 13th named storm and fourth major hurricane of this year’s North Atlantic season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

Karen Clark & Company estimates Melissa losses at $US2.4 billion ($3.7 billion), including privately insured damage to residential, commercial and industrial properties in Jamaica and Cuba.

The modeller says Melissa was the third category 5 Atlantic hurricane this year; 2005 was the only previous season with at least three systems at that intensity, when the US was battered by Katrina, Rita and Wilma. No hurricanes have made US landfall so far this season.