Home insurance bills are soaring as climate risks grow. The government should step in

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:21:34 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/home-insurance-bills-are-soaring-as-climate-risks-grow-the-government-should-step-in-211515>

"The Actuaries Institute of Austalia has just confirmed what many Australian
households already know – home insurance is increasingly unaffordable.

It found average premiums climbed 28% in the year to March, while premiums for
higher-risk properties, such as those in flood-prone areas, climbed 50%.

The institute also found 12% of Australian households – 1.24 million – are
experiencing extreme home insurance affordability stress, defined as paying
more than four weeks of gross household income on premiums.

Twelve months ago, this figure was 10%, or 1 million households.

While in the past affordability had been recognised as a problem affecting
vulnerable Australians, it has got to the point where it is hitting households
across the socio-economic spectrum. And not only in Australia.

Insurers are increasing premiums in locations at high risk of climate-related
damage throughout the world and even withdrawing home insurance completely in
places such as California and Florida.

The high premiums are spreading to households in lower-risk locations through a
complex interconnected system of rising private reinsurance charges (insurance
for insurers), more frequent and worse weather events, and increasing
rebuilding costs."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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