Author Topic: Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk - WP  (Read 7603 times)

rcjordan

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"Major insurers say they will cut out damage caused by hurricanes, wind and hail from policies underwriting property along coastlines and in wildfire country, according to a voluntary survey conducted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, a group of state officials who regulate rates and policy forms.

Insurance providers are also more willing to drop existing policies in some locales as they become more vulnerable to natural disasters. Most home insurance coverages are annual terms, so providers are not bound to them for more than one year.

That means individuals and families in places once considered safe from natural catastrophes could lose crucial insurance protections while their natural disaster exposure expands or intensifies as global temperatures rise."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/03/natural-disaster-climate-insurance/

Travoli

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Re: Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk - WP
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2023, 01:46:40 AM »
Does Debbie think this is the beginning of the end for coastal development? Or will "FEMA insurance" fill the unprofitable void?

Brad

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Re: Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk - WP
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2023, 10:18:06 AM »
>FEMA insurance

If FEMA is smart they will start raising rates and/or start phasing out insurance coverage in the worse areas like Florida coasts.  Such a phase out might take 10 - 20 yrs.  Also mortgage lenders may well start requiring FEMA flood insurance in marginal flood zones they have not required insurance previously if FEMA will issue policies.  If things go from bad to worse I think FEMA will get more hard nosed about relocating river towns that flood to higher ground.

Of course politics will play a part in this so there will be lots of arguments, whinging, finger pointing, paranoid conspiracy theories and the like.

I'd like to hear Debbie's take because it will likely be more realistic.

rcjordan

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Re: Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk - WP
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2023, 07:21:19 PM »
>beginning of the end for coastal

Not just coastal, wildfire areas are also on the chopping block.

Debbie's first thought; How will mortgage underwriters factor in the added risk?  Higher rates?  Or -more likely- some sort of insurance rider (like PMI) sold by the mortgage company as a required part of the mortgage bundle. That's the same as higher rates but easier to tack on without having to show higher interest rates ...a semi-hidden fee.

>FEMA

Flood insurance is capped at $250k, so that doesn't compare directly.  Besides, they're begging for more budget already.  But it is noteworthy that mortgages don't require flood insurance in flood zones, so will they treat climate disaster insurance as optional, too?  Wrong, my in-house broker says it is required if any part of your house is in a flood zone.

Debbie thinks the states, rather than the feds, will attempt to patch the system for a while with greatly underfunded insurance pools.  That'll last for a few years.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2023, 07:25:04 PM by rcjordan »

Travoli

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Re: Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk - WP
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2023, 08:22:54 PM »
>govt patch

I'm with Debbie. Influential owners of expensive assets will lobby for protection. That'll be successful until it isn't... Step function-sized legislative changes after big disasters.

ergophobe

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Re: Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk - WP
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2023, 04:02:32 AM »
Zeke Lunder thinks we should just declare a strategic retreat from wildfire areas. See Q&A #3 and #4

https://the-lookout.org/2022/07/21/pyrofiction-hopepunk-biketopia/

rcjordan

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