Rising insurance costs leave more homeowners uninsured

A growing number of homeowners are opting out of insurance as policies become more expensive and climate-related disasters increase.

Patrick Cooley reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

• Many Americans, facing rising home insurance costs, are choosing to go without coverage.
• Insurers like State Farm are pulling out of high-risk areas, leaving homeowners with expensive alternatives.
• The rate of uninsured homeowners is rising, particularly among those who own their homes outright.

Key quote:

“It’s very unrealistic for any homeowner to think they can pay for catastrophic losses out of pocket.”

— Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications, Insurance Information Institute

Why this matters:

As disasters become more frequent, the lack of insurance exacerbates the vulnerability of communities, making recovery slower and more challenging. It also emphasizes the need for robust climate action and adaptation measures to mitigate the risks and reduce the long-term costs associated with climate-related disasters.