Insurance

Parked cars in floodwater with two-story apartments or homes in background in Florida after hurricane.

Auto Insurance Rates Spike Due to Extreme Weather

Car insurance costs around the country are going up as insurers receive more claims from areas struck by storms and other climate disasters.

November 7, 2024 - Grist

Aerial view of dense neighborhood with beach homes on coast in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Rising Insurance Rates Squeezing Affordable Housing Developers

Spiking insurance costs in coastal areas prone to climate disasters are making it harder for low-income housing developers to keep building.

October 24, 2024 - WHQR

Tree fallen on home in Texas afetr Hurricane Harvey.

Reining in Rising Property Insurance Rates

There are many proposed ways to mitigate the property insurance cost crisis. They all require action from federal or state governments.

June 27, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Row of colorful two-story beach homes on Gulf Coast beach in Alabama.

Alabama Funds Roof Replacements to Stave off Insurance Crisis

The Fortified roof program is helping tens of thousands of homeowners make their homes more resilient against hurricane damage.

June 26, 2024 - Stateline

Aerial view of dense single-family homes in neighborhood still under construction

A Big Picture of the US Housing Market

A new report highlights the factors driving up housing costs around the country.

June 25, 2024 - Governing

Multistory buildings under construction in a dense city with cranes.

Soaring Property Insurance Rates Threaten Affordable Housing Development

Rapidly rising insurance premiums are forcing affordable housing developers to cut back on programming, lay off staff, and even sell. To add insult to injury, some insurers also seem to be adding penalties or withdrawing coverage for housing voucher holders.

April 3, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Person on folding electric bike wearing messenger bag resting foot on ground on urban street.

New Jersey Senate Committee Passes E-Bike Insurance Bill

Lawmakers say the admittedly flawed bill will undergo changes before its final passage.

February 18, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

Person on bike on New Jersey boardwalk.

Opinion: New Jersey’s E-Bike Insurance Proposal Would Have Chilling Effect on Micromobility

A proposal to require insurance for low-speed electric bikes could hamper the adoption of non-auto modes, advocates argue.

February 15, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Wildfire approaching stucco house with red tile roof.

Home Insurance Increasingly Unaffordable or Inaccessible

Homeowners in places at risk for wildfires and other disasters find it harder than ever to secure an affordable insurance policy as companies leave some states altogether.

January 10, 2024 - High Country News

Base Camp Village

Insurance Rates Rise Sharply for Affordable Housing

Increases of up to 104 percent in insurance rates are squeezing nonprofit affordable housing developers as rates rise around the country.

December 18, 2023 - Marketplace

Gas Pumps

Is $7 a Gallon for Gas on the Horizon?

Global oil prices may skyrocket when the European Union, which receives about one third of its oil from Russia, enacts a partial ban on importing Russian oil at the end of the year to stop financing Russia's war in Ukraine.

July 28, 2022 - The New York Times

2020 California wildfires from Oakland, CA

California Insurers Call for Pricing Based on 'Catastrophic Modeling'

Home insurers argue they should be able to base policy costs on modeling that accounts for future risks from climate change and overdevelopment.

January 4, 2022 - Politico

California Wildfire

California Bans Insurance Companies From Dropping Homeowners in Wildfire Zones

The one-year moratorium is a stopgap measure to assist homeowners affected by recent wildfires as the state assesses ways of addressing the root causes of increasingly damaging natural disasters.

October 3, 2021 - Sacramento Bee

Fuel Break Wildfire

New Models of Risk Assessment Needed in Wildfire Zones

About 350,000 residents have lost wildfire insurance in recent years, as a series of catastrophic fires have swept the state of California and insurance industry struggles to keep up with climate change.

October 24, 2019 - The Conversation

Erskine Fire

In California, Policies Spur Rebuilding in the Wildland-Urban Interface

After the worst wildfire season ever, changes to local land use and state insurance rules essentially ensure that the same thing will happen again.

March 9, 2018 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Harvey Floods Houston

How the National Flood Insurance Program Sabotaged Itself

Having charged low rates during years of bumper development, the National Flood Insurance Program worked at cross-purposes with itself while development continued on.

September 18, 2017 - Vox

Can Insurance Markets Jump-Start Resilience?

Risk-management experts are seeking creative ways to finance resilience investments that prevent damage from natural disasters. Insurance markets, with their direct stake in protecting homes and businesses, can be key partners in this effort.

March 24, 2017 - Doggerel

Utah

The State with the Worst Drivers…

A new study from Quote Wizard finds Utah and Rhode Island have the worst and best drivers, respectively.

December 8, 2016 - Quote Wizard

New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina

New Flood Maps Downplay Risks in New Orleans

Recently released flood maps created by FEMA for the city of New Orleans are receiving criticism for being 'overly optimistic' when it comes to risks posed by hurricanes and rising sea levels.

June 3, 2016 - The New York Times

Resilience Bonds Provide New Model for Infrastructure Financing

Local governments and utilities are overexposed and underinsured relative to an increasing threat from severe weather events. The Brookings Institution has released a report on a new funding tool to help meet these challenges.

December 19, 2015 - Brookings

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