JBA's US Inland Flood Model: Innovation Built on Open Foundations

JBA's US Inland Flood Model: Innovation Built on Open Foundations

JBA Risk Management's launch of its high-resolution US Inland Flood Model 2025 showcases how open-source frameworks are transforming catastrophe modelling. Built on the Oasis Loss Modelling Framework, the model demonstrates the power of combining cutting-edge flood science with flexible, resilient infrastructure.

 

Flexibility by Design

The model's hallmark "fully customisable" approach stems directly from its Oasis foundation. As Nikki Pilgrim from JBA Risk Management’s Board of Directors, explains: "The flexibility of the US Flood Model is powered by Oasis' architecture, which allows JBA to embed its own custom logic and components. Models can be dynamically assembled at runtime using the event set, hazard, vulnerability, and other user-selected data and parameters."

By avoiding hard-coded assumptions, clients can tailor model components to their own risk views and conduct sensitivity analyses, critical capabilities as climate patterns evolve and historical data becomes less predictive of future risk.

Accelerating Development, Enhancing Science

For JBA's development team, Oasis delivered tangible efficiency gains. "By using Oasis – a mature, open-source loss-modelling framework – we benefit from the work Oasis does developing and maintaining the model infrastructure that then forms the bedrock of our models," JBA notes. "This enables the development team to focus on ensuring our high-quality datasets are incorporated into our models in the best possible way."

All JBA flood models are Oasis-enabled, incorporating cutting-edge analysis techniques specific to high-resolution flood modelling within the framework.

Seamless Multi-Peril Integration

Following the recent collaboration with ARA, when asked if multi-peril correlation was viable within a proprietary framework, JBA was emphatic about Oasis’ role: "Yes – but Oasis makes it far more practical and efficient. Both JBA and ARA models run on the Oasis Loss Modelling Framework and share standardized data formats. This common foundation lets clients adopt one model alongside the other seamlessly, without reformatting data or changing workflows."

This interoperability transforms multi-peril risk assessment from theoretically possible to operationally efficient, removing vendor-specific barriers that have traditionally complicated integrated risk analysis.

Simplified Distribution, Expanded Reach

The model's Oasis foundation proved equally valuable for distribution. "Because the model is built to an open and widely adopted standard, it can be deployed on platforms like Verisk's Model Exchange with minimal additional integration effort," JBA explains. "This simplifies distribution, reduces friction for clients, and enables faster access to model outputs without requiring bespoke implementations."

JBA models are now accessible via ELEMENTS by Impact Forecasting, Verisk's Model Exchange, or directly in Oasis software for in-house installations, with consultancy services also available.

Beyond traditional platforms, Oasis enables JBA to reach insurers, reinsurers, MGAs, and analytics teams who prefer flexible, transparent modelling environments where they can integrate multiple vendor solutions directly into their workflows.

The Value Proposition

When asked to describe Oasis' benefit in one sentence, JBA captured its essential value: "Oasis allows model developers to focus on scientific innovation and validation while providing a client friendly, scalable, transparent framework that makes models easier to deploy, integrate, and adopt."

JBA's US Inland Flood Model exemplifies what becomes possible when scientific expertise meets open infrastructure, advancing flood risk quantification while ensuring clients can integrate the model seamlessly into their existing analytical frameworks. The launch demonstrates that open standards and commercial excellence aren't competing values, but complementary forces advancing the entire catastrophe modelling ecosystem.

 

Learn more about JBA's US Inland Flood Model: https://www.jbarisk.com/about-us/news/jba-launches-high-resolution-us-flood-model/

For more information about the Oasis Loss Modelling Framework, visit oasislmf.org.

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