Insurance and Climate Change column

Climate Change Tops List of World’s ‘Extreme Risks’

By | September 12, 2019

  • September 12, 2019 at 4:26 pm
    Jon says:
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    We’re seeing this in California in some ways, with the massive amount of wildfire activity lately it’s been getting harder and harder to secure solid Property coverage. What kinds of market hardening might we see when the southern coastal sea levels start rising? I’m from Florida but I never worked in Insurance there, can anyone speak to what it’s like there right now with the numbers of Hurricanes increasing? I remember Andrew seeming like a nightmare but it seems like we get three or four Andrews a year now.

    • September 13, 2019 at 2:42 pm
      Smooth says:
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      Hello Jon,

      My wife and I travel to FL for business frequently. Her company headquarters are located there. Insurance in FL is disgustingly high. If you live anywhere along the coastline, you are going to pay as much for your homeowners insurance as you are your mortgage. Wind coverage is unbelievably high. I spent 11 recent years working for a High Net Worth homeowners insurance Carrier. Even with the premium being so high, we were limiting availability in every city under Orlando. If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford a home in the Keys, you probably aren’t feeling very fortunate. The insurance there is guaranteed to be more than your house payment. Many FL residents who own a home along a beach have started using Airbnb to rent out their homes, if they are large enough, to tourists. This isn’t all for extra income. It’s to pay the bills.

      I have wondered many times why people continue to live there. Obviously money isn’t an issue for them, but most affluent families do not like to throw money away. I am uncertain what the cap is the premiums can be raised by, but you can bet it will be even more expensive in 2021 than it is today. Quite a bit more. At some point, people will be forced from their homes. To give you an idea, many of the homes over $1 million in Coverage A were paying well over $20k per year for their policy. That did not include the Wind Coverage or the Contents. The homes in the $3 to $5 million range were paying well over double, to three times, that amount. It sounds like a ton of money until you realize the home is likely insured for more than it is worth and the contents coverage is typically well over what is needed. So, the Carrier collects say $100k in premium, yet pays out $6 million after everything in the policy has been accounted for. Carriers lose a fortune in that state. I’m not certain what the solution is, but if the hurricanes keep coming in FL, at some point, people will be forced to move inland. Companies just aren’t going to keep writing the risk there. It’s a sad situation. Many of the homeowners will take the cheapest policy they can find, which makes this even more difficult. I’ve seen $5 million homes on the Coast that were insured for under $2 million. You know how some Carriers like to play with price when they think it’s a “safe” bet.

      To answer your question – FL is a horrible place to have to look for insurance. Shockingly, many do not have flood insurance. Back around 2006, there was an agency there that got in trouble for selling Wind policies, but keeping the money and not adding it to the actual policy. They were sure a hurricane would not come. It did. I was able to read the lawsuit on that case as I was with one of the Carriers working there at the time. It’s just a bad state for Carriers and the population alike. It’s beautiful there, but not worth the price.

      • September 13, 2019 at 2:55 pm
        Jon says:
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        Wow, lot of interesting stuff there. That seems like a nightmare scenario, but honestly I don’t know what other answer there is for the situation than an eventual mass exodus. I have always heard insurance is rough out there, but I appreciate some incite into your experience with it. There’s always been money in Florida, but there are a LOT of lower income households in the state too that I imagine are going to have a hard time packing up and moving. Most of my memories were of large apartment buildings filled with renters, it’s scary to think we might hit a point where an entire state becomes unlivable just because you can’t insure it, but it seems inside the realm of possibility.

        • September 13, 2019 at 4:35 pm
          Smooth says:
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          Even in areas like Tampa, the Flood Insurance is so expensive that very few families have it. If the hurricanes continue, a mass exodus will be the only option unless the State comes up with a way to make the insurance affordable. The sinkholes are already an issue, and I’m not an expert on this, but have heard the flooding can make them worse with the rushing of the water between the limestone in the ground. It hollows out large areas, causing structures to just cave in.
          I do not know what the answer is for FL, I do see a time coming, if the storms continue, where it will be impossible to own a home there. Even if the ocean levels do not rise, how does an insurance carrier price for an event that is a near certainty? They can’t do it. The re-insurance rates are going to go through the roof, causing the premiums to go way up again. Even those living in the very modest homes, like much of the Tampa area where the homes are older, will see rates massively increase. I do not know the statistics, but I would bet many of the old homes without a mortgage have no insurance.

          • September 13, 2019 at 4:46 pm
            Jon says:
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            Man, that’s a bummer. My brother bought his house in the Tampa area this year! They haven’t been hit full-on by a hurricane since the 20s, but in Florida that always seems like it’s just over-do. Sinkholes are a whole different kind of terrifying I’m thankful we don’t deal with on the west coast. As much as earthquakes are a real issue, in ten years I’ve slept through or not noticed every one, knock on wood. It’s a lot different than just living in dread for 10 days wondering if a hurricane is going to take the house.

            Man, more reasons to not regret moving away from Florida? But it is unfortunate, and due to family still out there I’m hopeful for the future, but realistic that that hope may be pointless.

          • September 13, 2019 at 4:59 pm
            Perplexed says:
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            Smooth, it’s a given that hurricanes will continue to occur and damage the coastal states. It’s no different than someone inland building a large house on a creek or river. It is going to eventually flood. If people continue to behave unwisely by building in areas prone to hurricanes and floods they don’t have my sympathy. Move inland. These natural catastrophes have been occurring since records have been kept. that’s life.

          • September 13, 2019 at 5:13 pm
            Jon says:
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            The end of your comment seems like a subtle attempt to try and turn the conversation to the subject of the article, climate change, in an unbelieving light. The beginning of your comment is what, you showing a lack of sympathy or empathy? I get it, I hated Florida and I left, but people still have family there man.

  • September 12, 2019 at 7:18 pm
    PolarBeaRepeal says:
    Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
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    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    • September 12, 2019 at 8:15 pm
      Jon says:
      Hot debate. What do you think?
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      PS Polar you never responded to Young Sheldon article, where you posted a link to the NPR article about the NOAA backing up Trump, but then had no response to the NPR article where the chief of the NOAA says the move to back Trump was purely political? You’re a coward, trying to sow fear and backing away from every confrontation where your deflection and straw-man arguments can’t save you.

    • September 12, 2019 at 9:09 pm
      Jon says:
      Hot debate. What do you think?
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      I was SO pumped to copy and paste your own post into this board. You were criticizing me supposedly never talking about insurance, and yet here you are posting the same old tired right-wing propaganda with no regard for the industry. Sigh. Hypocrites gonna hypocrite.

      • September 13, 2019 at 8:15 am
        PolarBeaRepeal says:
        Hot debate. What do you think?
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        MAN-influenced Climate Change is a hoax bigger than anything Bernie Madoff could ever dream up!

        The ONLY thing Global Climate Change Hoaxers can do to defend their lies is criticize the people posting facts about their hoax. See posts aboe by Jon, the IJ Comment page Troll.

        There is NO universally agreed to ‘average’ Global temperature, and no proof that MAN’s actions influences temperature to any significant degree (pun intended)!

        • September 13, 2019 at 8:49 am
          Captain Planet says:
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          Yogi wrote, “See posts aboe by Jon, the IJ Comment page Troll.”

          OCTOBER 15, 2018 AT 10:40 AM
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          I see you’ve resorted to name calling to try to support your position…

          • September 13, 2019 at 9:47 am
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
            Hot debate. What do you think?
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            Troll. You added nothing about my assertion that appears in paragraphs 2 and 3.

          • September 13, 2019 at 9:50 am
            Captain Planet says:
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            JANUARY 30, 2019 AT 12:56 PM
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            please explain why you think people should comply with your childish requests.

          • September 13, 2019 at 10:23 am
            ralph says:
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            Personally I’m still waiting for Yogi to produce the evidence that “his IT guy” has about the BOTs that were “censoring conservative posts on the Insurance Journal” and people changing their IP addresses to downvote multiple times, which of course makes so much more sense than people just rapidly clicking the downvote button (which worked until the IJ corrected this glitch). I figure OJ will find the “real killers” before Yogi is able to show us his proof, though.

          • September 13, 2019 at 10:31 am
            Jon says:
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            LOL Polar you literally didn’t respond to anything involving the article or insurance, you are by your own definition a troll.

          • September 13, 2019 at 10:32 am
            Jon says:
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            Did he seriously try to claim that a BOT was censoring conservative posts and messing with up/downvotes? LOL what a joke. I keep calling him a joke because the actual words I’m thinking of don’t appear IJ friendly, but he IS laughable.

          • September 13, 2019 at 10:35 am
            Captain Planet says:
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            APRIL 3, 2018 AT 1:59 PM
            Tax Cuts 4 PolaRich Bears says:
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            You’ve failed to censor me and others with whom you disagree, including use of BOTS – which were subsequently blocked by IJ.
            I suggest you compile ALL of my post and send them to IJ for review…. in relation to board rules. I await the results of your complaint.
            Oh, yeah; have a BOT email account send dozens of similar complaint emails to IJ.

          • September 13, 2019 at 3:37 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            ralph; how do you keep a fool in suspense?

          • September 13, 2019 at 3:49 pm
            ralph says:
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            “How do you keep a fool in suspense?” I’ll tell you later, Yogi.

            Just admit that you were wrong about the whole BOT conspiracy. It’s actually ok to be a human and admit you made a mistake, despite what our Dear Leader would have you believe. Man up, Yogi. .

        • September 13, 2019 at 10:30 am
          Jon says:
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          So once again, you’re not going to respond or actually talk about anything involving the insurance, you’re just going to go on a rant about how you think man-made climate change is fake? Yeah, no one cares old man.

          • September 13, 2019 at 3:25 pm
            Captain Planet says:
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            Perhaps he is just thinking a BOT how best to respond.

          • September 16, 2019 at 4:39 pm
            bob says:
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            It would be on topic, and once again you are going to rail on people who question it… This is old. Knock it off.

          • September 16, 2019 at 5:04 pm
            Jon says:
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            Ranting about how “climate change is fake” is not on topic when the subject is climate change appearing on a list of world’s extreme risks. It’s trying to negate the fact that it appeared on a list, which it did. You are spreading misinformation in an attempt to draw partisan influence. You are transparent and boring, Bob.

  • September 16, 2019 at 6:08 pm
    PolarBeaRepeal says:
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    Climate change is one of the world’s greatest risks…. to people who fear their shadow.

    Al Gore and the Obamas are two examples of hypocrite liberals who bought sea-view property after years espousing climate change risks, and the perils of rising ocean levels.

    • September 16, 2019 at 6:54 pm
      Jon says:
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      If I’m wrong, we made the world cleaner at the cost of some big business. If you’re wrong, we all die.

      Sorry, I don’t like to trust people who can’t even form a cohesive argument making policy decisions. You’re an example of a hypocrite conservative who repeats the same boring rhetoric ad nauseam without any ability to defend their often blatantly false statements, provide evidence for their claims, or apply common sense logic to any situation. You insist on being the loudest voice in the room, well I can be louder buddy.

      • September 16, 2019 at 9:47 pm
        Craig Cornell says:
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        Sorry, I don’t trust people who end every argument with “and then a nuclear war will happen”.

        Climate change is NOT going to ever mean “we all die”.

        And we can solve it today, but liberals don’t want to. 1. Plant millions and millions of trees. According to Climate Scientists, we could reduce 2/3 of the threat this way. 2. Expand clean nuclear power, like France and Sweden. 3. Pump small particles into the atmosphere world wide, reducing the temperature by blocking the sun to whatever degree we need to.

        But those solutions don’t involve taking away freedom and giving liberals more of our money and more control over all of us. So they get ignored.

        Meaning? You all don’t really believe your own BS on Climate Change. (Dropped your air conditioning yet, Dr. Doom? Of course not. All BS)

        • September 17, 2019 at 10:27 am
          Jon says:
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          Craig Cornell says:
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          I see you think you speak for all ALL HUMANITY. Newsflash: you don’t.

          I love this quote from you, it really works to shut down your own arguments. Look, it goes again!

          Craig Cornell says:
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          I see you think you speak for all CLIMATE SCIENTISTS. Newsflash: you don’t.

          You’re not actually basing your argument in fact and logic. You’re worried about liberals getting more money? I’m worried about my children and grandchildren having a world to grow up in. I don’t care about your petty partisan bias, and I imagine very few people here other than Polar and maybe Agent do either. You’re a scared old man, and my generation is done listening to you. :)

          • September 18, 2019 at 1:22 pm
            craig cornell says:
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            It is remarkable how consistently you make a fool of yourself. Truly.

            Every solution I mentioned is a fact widely accepted by Climate Scientists. Planting millions of trees, clean nuclear power, and pumping small, inert particles into the atmosphere would all work, according to CLIMATE SCIENTISTS.

            Most believe the effort to restrict CO2 is a doomed effort, simply because you Virtue Signalers don’t understand Climate Change at all, and because you won’t confront the real culprits, China and India (and soon, Africa).

            You are a fraud, and as a result, an impediment to addressing Climate Change.

          • September 18, 2019 at 8:10 pm
            Jon says:
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            LOL my favorite part is how you continue to address your own blatant hypocrisy. Please, feel free to continue the baseless insults (at least until you start whining that that’s what I’m doing, little snowflake) but you continue to do little aside from post conclusions you’ve drawn from unrelated studies. You literally argue that articles that refute your beliefs don’t, while ignoring their content. You live in a fantasy world, which for a person your age is what we call dementia, Craig. Here are some things I justwant to point out:

            “Fact widely accepted by climate scientists” prove it. Let me see your evidence, because you’re going to send more articles that actually refute your point.

            “Most believe the effort to restrict CO2 is a doomed effort” Prove it. Let’s see what those articles say about the effort to restrict CO2.

            You blame China, India and Africa. Prove it.

            I don’t think you will prove anything, because you are a liar and a coward. Why don’t you own up to your blatant hypocrisy while you’re at it? Because the fact is you won’t be able to do any of it.

          • September 20, 2019 at 11:55 am
            Craig Cornell says:
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            Okay, Clown. Show me your ideas on how to stop Climate Change. And then back it up with science. Prove you care at all with links.

    • September 17, 2019 at 8:15 am
      ralph says:
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      Yeah, those Soros-funded BOTs that change their IP addresses to censor conservative voices with multiple downvotes on the Insurance Journal should be taken MUCH more seriously than climate change…



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