Insurance, Politics & Climate Change
Table of Contents
| 
   Chapter 1: 
  Introduction to Insurance, Politics & Climate Change  | 
  
   1  | 
 
| 
   Is Climate Change Real?  | 
  
   2  | 
 
| 
   Insurers See the Writing on
  the Wall; People Just See the Wall  | 
  
   2  | 
 
| 
   Dude! This is About Weather!  | 
  
   3  | 
 
| 
   A Surprisingly Difficult
  Topic Even for Insurers  | 
  
   5  | 
 
| 
   Time Matters  | 
  
   6  | 
 
| 
   A Complicated Insurance
  Topic  | 
  
   6  | 
 
| 
   Insurers Look at Financial
  Risks, Not Politics  | 
  
   9  | 
 
| 
   Facts are Verified; Insurance
  Companies Weigh In  | 
  
   10  | 
 
| 
   Insurers Possess Knowledge  | 
  
   11  | 
 
| 
       Outcome
  #1 & #2  | 
  
   12  | 
 
| 
   A Constant Attempt to Muddy
  the Information Waters  | 
  
   13  | 
 
| 
   Insurers Pick Up the Claims,
  and Raise Premiums  | 
  
   14  | 
 
| 
   Insurers Assess Global
  Change Risks  | 
  
   15  | 
 
| 
   Insurance Claim Tails  | 
  
   17  | 
 
| 
   NAIC Looks at Economic
  Threats to Insurer Stability  | 
  
   18  | 
 
| 
   Chapter 2:  Spilled
  Milk  | 
  
   21  | 
 
| 
   From an Insurance
  Perspective  | 
  
   23  | 
 
| 
   Flood Risk and the NFIP  | 
  
   25  | 
 
| 
   Other NFIP Issues  | 
  
   26  | 
 
| 
   H.R. 5381  | 
  
   28  | 
 
| 
   Climate Change: A Financial
  Issue for Insurers  | 
  
   29  | 
 
| 
   Violent Conflicts  | 
  
   29  | 
 
| 
   Climate Change or Simply Bad
  Luck?  | 
  
   30  | 
 
| 
   A Difficult Concept for Some
  People  | 
  
   30  | 
 
| 
   Change and the Unknown Can
  be Frightening  | 
  
   30  | 
 
| 
   Lack of Understanding
  Affects Acquired Knowledge  | 
  
   31  | 
 
| 
   Financial Gains Affects Climate
  Change Statements  | 
  
   31  | 
 
| 
   Inability or Unwillingness
  to Perform Personal Analysis  | 
  
   32  | 
 
| 
   Financial Gains Determine
  Opinions  | 
  
   33  | 
 
| 
   Moving Forward  | 
  
   33  | 
 
| 
   Identifying the Skeptics  | 
  
   34  | 
 
| 
   How Can Insurers Meet the
  Climate Challenge?  | 
  
   35  | 
 
| 
   Today’s Political Atmosphere
  Molds the Actions of Insurers  | 
  
   37  | 
 
| 
   Insurers must deal with a
  Political Climate  | 
  
   41  | 
 
| 
   Distributional Politics
  Affect Insurance  | 
  
   43  | 
 
| 
   A Tough Situation for
  Insurers  | 
  
   43  | 
 
| 
   Insurance Statistics  | 
  
   45  | 
 
| 
   Climate Mitigation Affects
  Insurance Producers  | 
  
   45  | 
 
| 
   Canada  | 
  
   47  | 
 
| 
   Insurer Assessments of the
  Future  | 
  
   47  | 
 
| 
   Believe the Insurers, Not
  the Politicians  | 
  
   49  | 
 
| 
   Adding Billions of People
  Make this Climate Change Different  | 
  
   50  | 
 
| 
   Photosynthesis: The Role
  Plants and Trees Play  | 
  
   53  | 
 
| 
   Insuring
  Volcanic ActivityInsuring Volcanic
  Activity  | 
  
   55  | 
 
| 
       Hawaii,
  Alaska  | 
  
   57  | 
 
| 
       Pacific
  Coast, Wyoming and the Rockies, Volcanoes in General  | 
  
   58  | 
 
| 
   Unusual Events Can Affect
  Insurance Policies  | 
  
   59  | 
 
| 
   Policy Exclusions  | 
  
   60  | 
 
| 
   Past Climate Change Before
  Use of Fossil Fuels  | 
  
   61  | 
 
| 
   Asteroids  | 
  
   64  | 
 
| 
   Insurance & Government
  Actions Related to Climate Change  | 
  
   69  | 
 
| 
   Chapter 3: 
  Climate Change Risk Management  | 
  
   74  | 
 
| 
   Insures Recognize the Risk  | 
  
   74  | 
 
| 
   Crop Loss Equates to
  Insurance Payments  | 
  
   76  | 
 
| 
   Insurance Premiums Impact Food Pricing  | 
  
   79  | 
 
| 
   Government Insurance Programs Pay Out Higher Losses  | 
  
   84  | 
 
| 
   Insects, Weeds &
  Diseases  | 
  
   85  | 
 
| 
   Livestock Insurance  | 
  
   86  | 
 
| 
   Agricultural Business Insurance  | 
  
   87  | 
 
| 
   General Liability Insurance  | 
  
   88  | 
 
| 
   Property Insurance  | 
  
   89  | 
 
| 
       ACV, RCV,
  FRC  | 
  
   89  | 
 
| 
   Farm
  Employee Insurance  | 
  
   91  | 
 
| 
   Over-the-Road
  Vehicle Insurance  | 
  
   92  | 
 
| 
   Crop/Income
  Insurance  | 
  
   93  | 
 
| 
   Other
  Types of Insurance  | 
  
   93  | 
 
| 
   More
  Heat, Drought & Precipitation to Come to Agriculture & Insurers  | 
  
   94  | 
 
| 
   Forests  | 
  
   97  | 
 
| 
   Bioenergy:
  Plant-Based Material  | 
  
   101  | 
 
| 
   The
  Future of Forests  | 
  
   102  | 
 
| 
   Chapter 4:  Our Planet’s Future  | 
  
   104  | 
 
| 
   Water  | 
  
   104  | 
 
| 
   Like
  Insurance, Ecosystems Buffer Severe Weather Events  | 
  
   106  | 
 
| 
   Plants
  and Animals  | 
  
   106  | 
 
| 
   Seasonal
  Patterns Eventually Equate into Insurance Losses  | 
  
   109  | 
 
| 
   Adaption
  Required in Insurance as well as Species  | 
  
   110  | 
 
| 
   Health
  Insurance  | 
  
   112  | 
 
| 
   Air
  Pollution Increases Health Care Claims  | 
  
   112  | 
 
| 
   Allergens
  Cause Health Care Issues  | 
  
   113  | 
 
| 
   Temperature
  Extremes Affect the Life & Health Insurance Industry Too  | 
  
   114  | 
 
| 
   Weather
  Events Cause-Related Deaths & Injuries (So More Claims)  | 
  
   115  | 
 
| 
   Even
  Heavy Downpours Cause Health Issues  | 
  
   116  | 
 
| 
   Food
  Security Affects Health, so it also Affects Insurance  | 
  
   117  | 
 
| 
   Mental
  Health & Stress-related Disorders  | 
  
   117  | 
 
| 
   Vulnerable
  Individuals Present the Highest Health Insurer Risk  | 
  
   118  | 
 
| 
   Defining
  the Risks & How Insurers Respond  | 
  
   120  | 
 
| 
   Defining
  Fossil Fuels & their Relationship to Insurer Risk  | 
  
   121  | 
 
| 
   Reinsurance
  Companies Consider Global Warming Risks  | 
  
   122  | 
 
| 
   Insurers
  Do Not Care Whether Climate Change is Human Caused  | 
  
   123  | 
 
| 
   Oil  | 
  
   124  | 
 
| 
   Coal  | 
  
   125  | 
 
| 
   Natural
  Gas  | 
  
   125  | 
 
| 
   Environmental
  Impairment Liability Insurance (EIL)  | 
  
   127  | 
 
| 
      
  Earthquake Claims That Appear to be Caused by Fracking  | 
  
   127  | 
 
| 
   Energy
  Alternatives  | 
  
   133  | 
 
| 
   Insurers
  and Others Consider Solutions  | 
  
   133  | 
 
| 
   Options
  Exist  | 
  
   134  | 
 
| 
   Insurance
  Solutions to Global Warming  | 
  
   136  | 
 
| 
   Global
  Warming and Wildlife & Livestock  | 
  
   138  | 
 
| 
   Estimating
  Future Claims Experience  | 
  
   140  | 
 
| 
   Civil
  Litigation Equates to Liability Claims  | 
  
   142  | 
 
| 
   Measurable
  Risks Are Required by Insurers  | 
  
   143  | 
 
| 
   Micro
  Insurance  | 
  
   144  | 
 
| 
   Reducing
  Insurance Loss Risks Associated with Climate Change  | 
  
   148  | 
 
| 
   Catastrophe
  Reserve Funds  | 
  
   149  | 
 
| 
   Risk
  Pools  | 
  
   149  | 
 
| 
   Insurance-Linked
  Securities  | 
  
   149  | 
 
| 
   Insurers
  have been Aware of Climate Change for Years  | 
  
   149  | 
 
| 
   Insurer
  Incentives to Reduce Use of Fossil Fuels  | 
  
   149  | 
 
| 
   New
  Pipelines  | 
  
   150  | 
 
| 
   Many
  Confusing Opinions & Offered Solutions  | 
  
   150  | 
 
| 
   The
  Nicholas Stern 2006 Review  | 
  
   154  | 
 
| 
   Insurers
  Understand the Effects of Automobile Emissions  | 
  
   155  | 
 
| 
   How People
  Live Has Always Changed Over Time (Insurance Needs Change too)  | 
  
   160  | 
 
| 
   Winners
  & Losers in Climate Change Issues, Including Insurance Availability  | 
  
   163  | 
 
| 
   Why
  People Must Believe the Insurers  | 
  
   164  | 
 
| 
   Chapter
  5:  Climate Change Affects Insurance Companies & Policyholders  | 
  
   168  | 
 
| 
   The
  Lawsuits Continue to Rise in Numbers  | 
  
   168  | 
 
| 
   Examples
  of Severe Weather Events in 2021  | 
  
   169  | 
 
| 
   It Is Still Just Weather!?  | 
  
   171  | 
 
| 
    
  Fact #1-#5  | 
  
   171  | 
 
| 
    
  Fact #6-#12  | 
  
   172  | 
 
| 
   Federal
  Policies on Climate Change Between 2017and 2020  | 
  
   173  | 
 
| 
   An
  Ever-Growing Wave of Lawsuits Helps the Insurance Industry  | 
  
   175  | 
 
| 
   Will
  Litigation be the Savior of the Insurance Industry?  | 
  
   178  | 
 
| 
    
  Wind Insurance in Wind Pool Areas  | 
  
   180  | 
 
| 
    
  What Defines a Windstorm?  | 
  
   180  | 
 
| 
    
  Windstorm Insurance Deductibles in Florida  | 
  
   181  | 
 
| 
   Insurer
  Risk-Knowledge & Management  | 
  
   182  | 
 
| 
   Assessing
  Risk & Avoiding Losses  | 
  
   187  | 
 
| 
   Life
  & Health Insurance Will be Affected  | 
  
   193  | 
 
| 
    
  Changing Landscape Affects Health Issues & Health Insurance  | 
  
   194  | 
 
| 
   Chapter
  6: Insurers Have Limited Abilities  | 
  
   196  | 
 
| 
   Persuasion
  Through Premium Rates  | 
  
   196  | 
 
| 
      
  Insurance penetration rates  | 
  
   198  | 
 
| 
   Department
  of Commerce Estimations  | 
  
   205  | 
 
| 
   NFIP: What
  is the Message for Taxpayers?  | 
  
   207  | 
 
| 
   National
  Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)  | 
  
   210  | 
 
| 
   1.
  Premium Increases & Surcharges  | 
  
   210  | 
 
| 
    
  Pre-FIRM Subsidized Policies  | 
  
   211  | 
 
| 
    
  Other Subsidized Policies  | 
  
   211  | 
 
| 
    
  V Zones  | 
  
   212  | 
 
| 
    
  A Zones  | 
  
   212  | 
 
| 
    
  X Zones  | 
  
   212  | 
 
| 
    
  Miscellaneous  | 
  
   212  | 
 
| 
    
  Changes to Become Effective 1/1/19  | 
  
   212  | 
 
| 
   2.
  Policy Reformation for Use of Incorrect Standard Flood Ins
  Policy Form  | 
  
   213  | 
 
| 
   3.
  Premium Receipt Date for Guidance for Invalid Payments  | 
  
   213  | 
 
| 
   4.
  Primary Residence Determination  | 
  
   213  | 
 
| 
   5.
  Clarification of Increased Cost of Compliance Premium  | 
  
   214  | 
 
| 
   6.
  HFIAA Section 28, Clean Communication of Risk – Phase 2 Re-underwriting  | 
  
   214  | 
 
| 
   7.
  Datum Conversion  | 
  
   214  | 
 
| 
   8.
  Updated Claims Data Elements  | 
  
   215  | 
 
| 
   NFIP
  Risk Rating 2.0  | 
  
   215  | 
 
| 
   What
  is not Changing  | 
  
   216  | 
 
| 
   Premium
  Rates under Risk Rating 2.0  | 
  
   217  | 
 
| 
   Phase
  I and Phase II  | 
  
   218  | 
 
| 
   General
  Property Form / Standard Flood Insurance Policy  | 
  
   220  | 
 
| 
   Europe
  Ahead of America in the Reality Category  | 
  
   248  | 
 
| 
   Litigation
  Risk Due to Both Actions & Inactions Related to Climate Change  | 
  
   250  | 
 
| 
   Physical
  Risks  | 
  
   254  | 
 
| 
   Transition
  Risks  | 
  
   254  | 
 
| 
   Liability
  Risks  | 
  
   254  | 
 
| 
   Driving
  Factors  | 
  
   254  | 
 
| 
   Insurer
  Risk is Increasing  | 
  
   256  | 
 
| 
   Insurance
  Categories  | 
  
   257  | 
 
| 
   Business
  Interruption Insurance and Resulting Claims  | 
  
   258  | 
 
| 
   Food
  Safety & Insurance  | 
  
   258  | 
 
| 
   Global
  Security Also Impacted  | 
  
   259  | 
 
| 
   General
  Insurance & Liability Affected  | 
  
   259  | 
 
| 
   It
  is All in the Math  | 
  
   260  | 
 
| 
   Insurance
  Company Wake-Up Calls  | 
  
   260  | 
 
| 
   Insurers
  Invest Too  | 
  
   261  | 
 
| 
   Dealing
  with Transition Risks  | 
  
   261  | 
 
| 
   Liability
  Risks  | 
  
   262  | 
 
| 
   Professional
  Indemnity  | 
  
   265  | 
 
| 
   Making
  Assessments  | 
  
   266  | 
 
| 
   As
  Always, Opinions Vary  | 
  
   267  | 
 
| 
   Tipping
  Events  | 
  
   271  | 
 
| 
   International
  Collaborations & Finance: Premium Rise as Claims Rise  | 
  
   271  | 
 
| 
   Developing
  New Insurance Products  | 
  
   272  | 
 
| 
   Insurance
  Impacts from Global Warming  | 
  
   273  | 
 
| 
    
  Life Insurance  | 
  
   273  | 
 
| 
    
  Health Insurance  | 
  
   273  | 
 
| 
   Insurers
  Recognized It First (Along with Scientists of course)  | 
  
   278  | 
 
| 
   Concepts
  of Insurability  | 
  
   279  | 
 
| 
   Chapter
  7: The Ethics of Climate Change  | 
  
   282  | 
 
| 
   Climate
  Change: An Ethical Issue  | 
  
   282  | 
 
| 
   The
  Poorest of the Poor  | 
  
   283  | 
 
| 
   Predicting
  & Coping  | 
  
   285  | 
 
| 
   New
  Technology & the Hope that it Will Heal  | 
  
   285  | 
 
| 
    
  Power  | 
  
   287  | 
 
| 
    
  Transport Technology  | 
  
   287  | 
 
| 
   Funding
  from an Ethical Obligation   | 
  
   287  | 
 
| 
   What’s
  in a Name?  | 
  
   289  | 
 
| 
      
  Three primary issues that relate to climate change  | 
  
   289  | 
 
| 
      
  IPPC report identified the ethical considerations  | 
  
   295  | 
 
| 
   Climate
  Change: A Moral Issue  | 
  
   301  | 
 
| 
      
  Aerosol Pollution  | 
  
   303  | 
 
| 
      
  In insurance Uncertainty is a technical term.  | 
  
   307  | 
 
| 
      
  Adaption where possible  | 
  
   309  | 
 
| 
   Change
  Starts at the Top  | 
  
   312  | 
 
| 
   Giving
  the Subject Legitimacy  | 
  
   312  | 
 
| 
   Making
  Global Warming Personally Relevant  | 
  
   313  | 
 
| 
   Making
  Ethical Choices for our World  | 
  
   313  | 
 
| 
   Regulatory
  & Political Risks  | 
  
   314  | 
 
| 
   From
  a Practical Standpoint  | 
  
   319  | 
 
| 
   Choosing
  Ethical Conduct  | 
  
   320  | 
 
| 
   Ethics
  Beyond Philosophers  | 
  
   321  | 
 
| 
   Being
  Ethically Responsible is Hard Work  | 
  
   322  | 
 
| 
   Responsibility
  to Others  | 
  
   323  | 
 
| 
   A
  Legal Liability  | 
  
   325  | 
 
| 
   Free
  Choice  | 
  
   327  | 
 
| 
   Egoism  | 
  
   329  | 
 
| 
   Objectivist
  Theory  | 
  
   330  | 
 
| 
      
  Example # 1 & #2  | 
  
   330  | 
 
| 
   Ethical
  Conduct Varies  | 
  
   331  | 
 
| 
   Moral
  Persuasion  | 
  
   332  | 
 
| 
   Rationalizing
  Morals  | 
  
   333  | 
 
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