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☆ How to buy a home insurance policy in era of climate risk and more frequent disasters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Frequent weather catastrophes, induced in part by climate change, are bearing down on homeowners and would-be buyers. Here's how consumers can navigate the home insurance market amid increasing climate-driven weather risks:The home insurance market disruption is going to get worseThings are likely to get worse for homeowners and would-be buyers. Also in June, Farmers Insurance became the latest insurer to pull out of Florida, a market that's been roiled with turmoil for many years. Policyholders should expect to pay moreThe average cost of homeowners insurance nationwide is $2,777 a year, with rates varying by state, according to Insurance.com, a consumer comparison service. Already, some homeowners are choosing to roll the dice on ownership without insurance rather than pay increasing premiums.

Persons: Hurricane Ian, Idalia, Ian —, John Dickson, David A, Sampson, —, George Hosfield, Rich Sorkin, Stephen Bennett Organizations: Global, Aon, American, Casualty Insurance Association . Insurance, LexisNexis, Allstate, Farmers Insurance, Jupiter Intelligence Locations: Pine, Hurricane, Matlacha , Florida, Florida, California, Cuba, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Arkansas, Louisiana , Nebraska , Iowa , Kansas , Oklahoma , Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee

☆ Florida’s already-volatile insurance industry is bracing for Hurricane Idalia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —As it churns toward the disaster-prone Sunshine State, Hurricane Idalia could be a litmus test for Florida’s increasingly volatile and expensive insurance landscape. Despite several insurance companies exiting Florida, experts say the state’s residents are still mostly covered this hurricane season. “Florida’s property insurance market remains very volatile, but the insurance industry is well-capitalized to pay Idalia claims,” he added. Enrollment in flood insurance has seen a steady uptick every month since October 2022, according to the latest FEMA data. While Florida has the highest flood insurance enrollment rate of any state, Friedlander said only 18% have flood insurance through either federal or private insurers.

Persons: ”, Matthew Carletti, It’s, Hurricane Ian, Ian, Mark Friedlander, Friedlander Organizations: New, New York CNN, JMP Securities, Jacksonville —, CNN, Hurricane, Swiss, Insurance, Institute, Insurance Information Institute, Farmers Insurance, Farmers, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA Locations: New York, Sunshine State, Hurricane, Florida, Tampa, Gulf Coast, Gainesville, Jacksonville, “

Now I’m sure you’re going to say the same thing about my beloved F-35s, B-21s, SSN-774s and so on. Gail: That reminds me — during the Republican debate, when the candidates were asked to raise their hands if they believed human activity causes climate change, nobody was brave enough to do it. I know you don’t agree with our friend Ramaswamy, who called the climate change agenda “a hoax.” But do you feel yourself moving toward our oh-lord-this-is-a-world-crisis side? Conservatives could have something meaningful to contribute if they acknowledged that climate change was real and that big-government solutions aren’t the way to go. We could support a carbon tax and offset it with a reduction in income tax.

Persons: Gail, it’ll, Bret, they’d, me, Haley, Ramaswamy, Teddy Roosevelt Organizations: Republican, biodiesels Locations: California, San Francisco, San Jose, Burbank, United States

☆ The looming crisis that's going to crush homeowners from coast to coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Taylor Dorrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

To maintain profitability, insurance companies have to take in more in monthly premium payments from customers than they pay out in damage claims. This has prompted insurance companies to back out of certain markets or pressure states to raise caps on premiums. Without robust rate caps such as those in California, insurance costs have risen by over 200% while DeSantis has been in office. He also signed legislation in December that protects insurance companies from liability claims and disincentivizes homeowners from filing claims to begin with. Despite these policies, insurance prices have continued to go up and insurers have continued to flee the market.

Persons: Cinda Larimer, Larimer's, Larimer, Anthony Roach, Larimer's who's, I've, Roach, Chubb, Justin Sullivan, Benjamin Keys, Anita Waters, Waters, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Desantis, Hurricane Ian, Dale, Deb Weideling, they've, Keys, Philip Mulder, Jeffrey Greenberg, Jeff Goodell, Xavier Cortada, I'm, Cortada, we're, Betsy, Cinda Larimer wasn't, , haven't, Taylor Dorrell Organizations: Navy, Insurance, Rush, Allstate, American International Group, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, US Army Corps of Engineers, . Farmers Insurance, AAA, Washington Post, National Bureau of Economic Research, US Treasury, Universal, Getty, Miami, Dakotas, Nationwide, Penn, National Flood Insurance, FAIR, Bay Area Locations: Paradise , California, Paradise, Sacramento, California, , California, . State, Florida, South Carolina, South Florida, Fort Myers Beach, Hurricane, In Miami, States, Louisiana , Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Coast, Minnesota, Midwest, Bay, Columbus , Ohio

☆ My monthly mortgage went up $1,000 after my Florida home was put in a flood zone. I'd leave the state but my wife's business is here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida resident Danny Collins found out that his mortgage went up $1,000 a month. FEMA placed his home in a flood zone, and his bank bought him flood insurance without telling him. Even though we're on the coast, we initially weren't in a flood zone. They just said that there was flood insurance that we had to have, and they had bought it for us. If I could leave Florida I would, but my wife has built her business here.

Persons: Danny Collins, Collins, we're, haven't, it's, I've, That's Organizations: FEMA, Service, Florida Locations: Florida, Wall, Silicon, Sound

If we had not had homeowner's insurance, my parents would have spent thousands of dollars per storm just fixing the essential parts of our house. After living through many hurricanes, here are three times when homeowner's insurance helped my family's finances stay afloat after a storm hit us hard. Most homeowner's insurance policies cover damage caused by wind. See Insider's guide to what homeowners insurance covers »2. Our homeowner's insurance policy didn't cover flood damage.

Persons: we'd Organizations: Service Locations: Florida, Wall, Silicon

☆ What is flood insurance, and why do you need it?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But only four property owners in the entire town have active flood insurance policies. In the United States, FEMA has traditionally provided all flood insurance plans through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). According to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group, Florida, Louisiana and Texas account for 40% of all flood insurance policies nationwide. The origin of this exclusion can be traced to the 1968 National Flood Insurance Act, which established the NFIP. For example, in Miami, flood insurance can sometimes rival the amount that people pay for homeowners insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, ”, David Maurstad, it’s, Laura Lightbody, John Minchillo, Michael Barry, Barry, ’ ”, Lightbody, ” Lightbody, it’ll Organizations: CNN, Gov, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, National Flood Insurance, Flood, Insurance Information Institute, Pew, Trusts, Insurance, Institute’s, Flood Insurance Locations: Highlands , New York, ”, West, United States, America, Miami, Florida , Louisiana, Texas, Highland Falls, N.Y, New, Hudson

We pay nearly $2,600 a year for homeowners insurance, flood insurance, and an umbrella policy. See Insider's picks for the best homeowners insurance companies »Our insurance coverageYou might be wondering what kind of hurricane insurance we have. You can get flood insurance, windstorm insurance, and homeowners insurance. And when someone, especially a Floridian, talks about hurricane insurance, they're usually talking about a combination of these policies. We have a combination of homeowners insurance and federally-backed flood insurance through FEMA.

Persons: —, I'd, I've Organizations: Service, FEMA, The Florida Department of Health Locations: Florida, Northeast, United States

☆ Extreme weather is hitting parts of the US. That’s bad news for the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

All told, at least a third of the US population is currently grappling with costly extreme weather events. In 2022, extreme weather events cost the United States about $165 billion, according to the NOAA. Sector by sector: Extreme weather impacts the economy writ large, but certain sectors tend to suffer more than others. Agriculture, construction, tourism and renewable energy sectors also tend to feel the brunt of extreme weather events. “We’re really poorly adapted to the extreme weather and climate that we have right now,” said Mankin.

Persons: New York CNN — We’ve, ”, Justin Mankin, Nam, we’ve, Andrew Watterson, Ian, “ We’re, Mark Thompson, it’s, —, Vladimir Putin, Brent, That’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Dartmouth College, Sunday, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Travelers, Southwest Airlines, O'Hare International, Agriculture, Rystad Energy, Western, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Consumer Locations: New York, Texas, United States, Chicago, Florida, Russia, China, India, Russian, Moscow, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

☆ Intensifying Rains Pose Hidden Flood Risks Across the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Raymond Zhong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As climate change intensifies severe rainstorms, the infrastructure protecting millions of Americans from flooding faces growing risk of failures, according to new calculations of expected precipitation in every county and locality across the contiguous United States. The calculations suggest that one in nine residents of the lower 48 states, largely in populous regions including the Mid-Atlantic and the Texas Gulf Coast, is at significant risk of downpours that deliver at least 50 percent more rain per hour than local pipes, channels and culverts might be designed to drain. “The data is startling, and it should be a wake-up call,” said Chad Berginnis, the executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, a nonprofit organization focused on flood risk. The new rain estimates, issued on Monday by the First Street Foundation, a nonprofit research group in New York, carry worrying implications for homeowners, too: They indicate that 12.6 million properties nationwide face significant flood risks despite not being required by the federal government to buy flood insurance.

Persons: ”, Chad Berginnis Organizations: Texas Gulf, Association of, First Street Foundation Locations: United States, New York

New York CNN —Homeowners insurance is becoming more expensive and, in many places, more difficult to find. The companies also blame limits placed on insurance premiums in some states, including California. Insurance premiums nationwide aren’t up significantly – only 1.6% in the last 12 months according to the Consumer Price Index, the government’s main inflation measure. For instance, in Louisiana, 17% of homeowners insurance policyholders had their policies canceled last year, according to an annual report from Louisiana State University. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of policyholders said homeowners and flood insurance are more expensive in Louisiana than other states.

Persons: Ian, ”, Matthew Carletti, “ They’ve, it’s, ” Carletti, Dave Jones, ” Jones, policyholders, Carletti, Frank Frievalt’s, ” Frievalt, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN — Homeowners, Farm, Allstate, JMP Securities, Consumer, State Farm, State, Louisiana State University, Citizens Property Insurance, UN Locations: New York, Florida, California, California , Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, , California

Farmers insurance has confirmed it is pausing new homeowners policies in Florida. If you need home insurance in Florida, compare quotes and ensure you have enough disaster coverage. Compare homeowners insurance quotes with Policygenius »Get the latest tips you need to manage your money — delivered to you biweekly. Flood insurance, for example, is not included in a standard homeowners insurance policy because it's not required for people who don't live in a high-risk area. While you can get flood insurance through a private company, it's also available through FEMA via the National Flood Insurance Program.

Persons: —, Luis Sahagun, it's Organizations: Farmers, Service, Insurance, Farm, Allstate, Policygenius Companies, FEMA, National Flood Insurance Locations: Florida, California

☆ Florida’s homeowner insurance rates are four times the national average. That’s not getting better anytime soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But no matter how many storms hit Florida this year, the state’s residents are already struggling as they try to get homeowners’ insurance. But in Florida, State Farm has about 7% of the market, according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group. Just more than half of insurers based in Florida are on the state insurance regulator’s watch list due to their financial health. Homeowners in the state pay private insurers about $6,000 a year, compared to a national average of $1,700. But wind damage to homes and roofs are covered under homeowners’ insurance policies.

Persons: ”, Mark Friedlander, hasn’t, Friedlander, It’s, Hurricane Ian, Harvey, “ We’ve, shortchanging policyholders, Stephen Cain, “, Matthew Carletti, “ They’ve, ” Carletti, There’s Organizations: New, New York CNN — Hurricane, State, Insurance Information Institute, Homeowners, Atlantic, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane, NOAA, National Flood Insurance, Insurance, Property Insurance Corp, Citizens Property Insurance Corp, Citizens, Dade, JMP Securities Locations: New York, Florida, South Florida, Miami, Broward, Monroe County, South, Atlantic Coast

The climate crisis is becoming a financial crisis. This month, the largest homeowner insurance company in California, State Farm, announced that it would stop selling coverage to homeowners. That’s not just in wildfire zones, but everywhere in the state. “We’re just now seeing it.”In parts of eastern Kentucky ravaged by storms last summer, the price of flood insurance is set to quadruple. In Louisiana, the top insurance official says the market is in crisis, and is offering millions of dollars in subsidies to try to draw insurers to the state.

Persons: That’s, ”, Roy Wright, “ We’re Organizations: State Farm, . Insurance, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Insurance Institute, Business, Home Locations: California, Kentucky, Louisiana

☆ Hurricanes of Data: The Tiny Craft Mapping Superstorms at Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Porter Fox | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +35 min

The Tiny Craft Mapping Superstorms at Sea Shortly after dawn on Sept. 30, 2021, Richard Jenkins watched a Category 4 hurricane overrun his life’s work. That August, a sister ship, SD 1031, successfully entered Tropical Storm Henri, but only in its early stages. Hurricane research, modeling and forecasting requires many terabytes of data for every square mile the storm passes through, including vitally important sea-level data from inside a storm. The next day, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm and officially given the name Sam. And four months later, Tropical Storm Megi killed more than 150, wiped out several villages with landslides and displaced more than a million people.

☆ A hidden time bomb? A 'Big Short' investor sees financial disaster brewing in housing markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty ImagesMore than a decade after a U.S. mortgage meltdown threatened to destroy the international financial system, a "Big Short" investor once again sees financial disaster brewing in the real estate market. Now, Burt believes an overlooked climate risk could see history repeating itself. U.S. housing market overvalued? watch now"The biggest reason why it matters from our perspective is that climate risk isn't being priced into the housing market," Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications at First Street Foundation, told CNBC. 'A humanitarian crisis'Far from a domestic issue, Burt stressed the climate risks associated with the U.S. housing market posed a major problem for countries worldwide.

☆ Larry Fink: BlackRock is not the 'environmental police'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Laurence "Larry" Fink, chairman and chief executive officer of BlackRock Inc., pauses as he speaks during the BlackRock Asia Media Forum in Hong Kong, China. Justin Chin | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAsset managers like BlackRock are not "the environmental police," Larry Fink said in his annual chairman's letter to investors, which was published on Wednesday. In fact, it's hard to find a part of our ecology – or our economy – that's not affected," Fink wrote. Blackrock has customers who want to invest in the energy transition and others who do not, Fink said, and Blackrock serves both types. BlackRock is investing in natural gas pipelines, with efforts made to mitigate methane emissions from those natural gas pipelines, Fink said.

Flood insurance is expensive because flood recovery costs are expensiveOn average, most homes' flood insurance premiums fall between $700 and $800 annually for flood insurance. "It provides insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, a partnership between private insurers and the federal government," says Evan W. Walker, an attorney who regularly litigates flood insurance issues. However, a condo association's master insurance policy (the insurance covering the whole building) includes flood insurance. The NFIP might lower your flood insurance premiumsLight may be on the horizon if you've paid expensive flood insurance for your dream home. The National Flood Insurance Program is using a new way of calculating flood insurance costs as of 2021.

Car insurance costs are on the rise in 2023. Here are three ways to make sure you find the best car insurance deal for you. Bundle your renters or homeowners insurance with your car insuranceIf you already have homeowners or renters insurance, you might be able to save on your car insurance by getting your car insurance from the same company. According to InsuranceQuotes data, the average driver saves about 16% on their insurance premiums by bundling their homeowners insurance with their car insurance. If you don't have homeowners insurance yet and are looking for a provider, CNBC Select has picked the best homeowners insurance on the market.

☆ People buying homes on Florida's flood-prone coasts will likely have trouble selling in the future, Redfin CEO said
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Climate change is spurring tropical storms in Florida, putting coastal cities at more risk for flooding. Glenn Kelman, Redfin's CEO, said homeowners in flood zones will have trouble selling to regular buyers. Glenn Kelman, the CEO of real estate brokerage Redfin, said it's a problem that is likely to escalate as climate change ramps up. According to Kelman, investors are stepping in because they are the only ones that have the cash and can "withstand the risk posed by climate change." "I visited the Tampa Bay area right after Hurricane Ian hit just to check on the welfare of our own employees.

☆ A financially independent millennial shares an overlooked risk for investors in 2023 that 'doesn't get talked about enough'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Self-made millionaire Grant Sabatier says investors need to pay more attention to climate change. He's also expanded his "view of investing," he said, and is preparing for an uncertain future — including climate change. "One of the things that doesn't get talked about enough is the climate risk for investors," said Sabatier, especially for real estate investors. Climate change increases the likelihood of severe storms, wildfires, floods, and hotter temperatures. Besides causing health and safety issues, the consequences of climate change could influence property values and homeownership costs in certain markets.

☆ 'Communities like mine won't survive:' Queens residents battle monthly floods as sea levels rise, storms worsen
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Still, it's unclear how these vulnerable coastal communities — and others across the country — will ultimately fare. In this scenario, most of the communities surrounding Jamaica Bay would be inundated every day by high tides. These types of natural projects, some of which are already underway at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, would be balanced with the Army Corp's man-made engineered solutions. Additionally, the proposed Jamaica Bay Storm Surge Barrier, located to the east of the Marine Parkway Bridge, would close during major storms. Shoreline restoration is underway at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens.

☆ 5 surprising things your homeowners insurance covers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Jason Stauffer | Benji Stawski | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

A home is the biggest purchase most people make in a lifetime, and homeowners insurance is essential for protecting your biggest asset. Homeowners insurance covers the cost of fixing or replacing your home when it is damaged by a covered event, such as a fire, or certain types of bad weather. It's important to do a detailed review of your homeowners insurance policy to understand exactly what is and isn't covered. But finding the right homeowners insurance for you isn't as simple as locking in the lowest monthly premium. To file a homeowners insurance claim, you'll want to notify your insurance company as soon as possible after the event.

☆ How Hurricane Sandy transformed the Jersey Shore into 'a playground for the rich'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Jersey Shore residents battled through a patchwork of programs to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy. Even 10 years after Hurricane Sandy, Barbara is still reminded daily of the mental and financial toll it took on her. Courtesy of BarbaraThe bureaucratic red tape around flood insurance and rebuild programs linked to Hurricane Sandy deepened the divide between the haves and have-nots of the Jersey Shore. Milliman, an actuarial company that works with FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program, found that about 47% of coastal dwellers had flood insurance, The Inquirer reported. "After Sandy, there was a lot more money coming in," Mery, who has built Jersey Shore homes for 15 years, told Insider.

☆ Real-estate investors rush to score deep discounts on Florida properties hammered by Hurricane Ian: 'If they were asking $1 million before the storm, I'll offer $750,000'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Real-estate investors are trying to take advantage of the down market by buying properties for less. They seem undeterred by high insurance costs, possibly falling home values, and ever-worse storms. The real-estate market in Florida just doesn't stop. "If they were asking $1 million before the storm, I'll offer $750,000," Lema told The Wall Street Journal. Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty ImagesStill, it seems many buyers are undeterred by or unaware of insurance costs, future home-value depreciation, and the risk of ever-stronger hurricanes and rising sea levels.

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