Extreme Weather Events and Insurance: Households, Homeowners, and Risk
Financial losses due to extreme weather events are increasing. Insurers, states, and the federal government are all part of an extensive insurance and recovery system in the United States. Homeowners, landlords, utilities, infrastructure managers, and others all absorb some portion of risk of loss due to extreme weather. This system is becoming financially unsustainable and unable to appropriately respond to the current risk landscape. The way to repair the system may appear to be a straightforward economic solution, but the range of responses in terms of how to share and mitigate risk are driven by a mix of business interests, policy, household economics, individual risk perception and tolerance, and shared community attitudes.
This webinar series will summarize the growing body of scientific research on these issues, examine it in the current context of escalating risk and increasing and compounding losses, and identify areas of further research as we discuss potential ways forward.
The first in the series will focus on households and homeowners, considering the insurance crisis for property owners, risk tolerance, what drives decisions about where people choose to live, and community dynamics that can help or hinder risk mitigation, adaptation, and disaster preparedness.
Speakers:
Rebecca Elliott
Associate Professor of Sociology
London School of Economics and Political Science
Max Besbris
H.I. Romnes Associate Professor of Sociology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Moderator: TBD
When:
Thursday, October 16, 2025, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Where:
Attend virtually:
You will receive the relevant link(s) to attend virtually via email.