Today's Article

"Have good insurance." 

It's a common theme in coastal communities. 

"If you want to live here, insurance isn't cheap. That is 1for sure." 

But it's a reality that is quickly spreading across the country. 

"At least 18 states have experienced 2significant increases in 3insurance rates and insurance companies 4declining to write insurance or in some cases 5pulling out entirely." 

Dave Jones, the director of the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley School of Law, says we are currently in an insurance 6crisis like we have never experienced before. 

"We're marching 7steadily toward an 8uninsurable future in the United States." 

Historically, because of things like hurricanes and wildfires, rates for home insurance would go up in places like California and Florida so providers could still make a profit. Jones says now we're seeing some companies pull out of states like Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Florida completely because they're bleeding money from natural disaster claims. 

"They're in a business to 9make a profit and the losses are real." 

35 states offer what's called a fair plan to 10step in when companies 11refuse coverage 12due to 13high risk factors. Jones believes the federal government should 14step up as well. 

"If you had a federally tax paid and funded reinsurance program that would reduce costs for the fair plans and help them better survive as they're seeing their policy numbers go up."