Climate Change's Effect on Insurers: Exposures, Risks, and Preparations

The May 2014 National Climate Assessment indicates that the frequency and/or severity of many weather and climate extremes may increase with climate change. Public and private property insurers can bear a large portion of the financial impact of such weather-related losses. In the public sector, federal insurance includes NFIP, managed by FEMA, and the federal crop insurance program, managed by RMA. This book examines how federal and private exposure to losses has changed since GAO’s 2007 report on the subject, and what is known about how climate change may affect insured and uninsured losses; how public insurers are preparing for climate change, and any challenges they face; and how private insurers are preparing for climate change and any challenges they face.