Severe weather continues to wreak havoc across the United States, causing billions of dollars in insured losses and ravaging vulnerable communities. A new disaster-mapping tool could help property owners and policymakers understand extreme weather risks and the benefits of investing in resilient infrastructure.
Rebuild by Design, a research project from New York University (NYU), recently published the Atlas of Accountability interactive map. The atlas is available online, so anyone can search an address or select a county to see how many federal disasters have hit that area from 2011 to 2023. They can also see the amount of post-disaster assistance an area received and information about the area’s congresspeople.
The authors hope sharing this information will help individuals and representatives advocate for more pre-disaster resources.
“The data shows that communities across the U.S. are impacted, and we need a nationwide strategy to promote investment,” Jeff Stevens, iParametrics executive vice president and general manager, said in a press release.
Climate catastrophes lead to rising home insurance costs
The report recommends state governments begin requiring insurance companies to consider mitigation measures when setting insurance policy prices. The potential for lower premiums could incentivize property owners to make mitigation improvements, the report notes. FEMA already does this with the National Flood Insurance Program, according to the report.
Home insurance rates are rising, largely due to inflation and the effects of severe weather, according to Insurify’s homeowners insurance report. Some insurers already incentivize disaster mitigation efforts and offer discounts for reinforcing roofs or installing storm shutters.
The Atlas of Accountability displays disaster declarations by county, and many of the areas with more federally declared disasters face higher insurance rates or have significantly fewer coverage options.
For example, while the Atlas of Accountability shows California and Tennessee had the most federally declared disasters, hurricane-prone Florida and Louisiana have the highest home insurance rates in the country, according to Insurify data.
The average annual premium for $300,000 of dwelling coverage is $10,996 in Florida and $6,354 in Louisiana — well above the $2,377 national average, per Insurify data. In the last two decades, Florida and Louisiana have each had disasters causing $100 billion to $200 billion in losses, while California’s and Tennessee’s most expensive disasters resulted in $5 billion to $50 billion in losses, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Analysis points to need for investment in resiliency
The Atlas of Accountability includes a county-level breakdown of billions of dollars in federal disaster assistance from two sources: the Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation programs and the Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding.
In a press release, Rebuild by Design advocated for communities and elected officials to work toward more resilient infrastructure. One recommendation is to shift some post-disaster funding to pre-disaster funding “so communities can invest in infrastructure before they suffer.”
“Communities throughout the U.S. can take actions that lower their risk at the same time that it saves money in the long run,” Stevens said.
What’s next: Report recommends urgent bipartisan cooperation
Rebuild by Design’s analysis shows that 91% of congressional districts experienced at least one federally declared climate disaster between 2011 and 2023.
Though severe weather and shifting climate patterns have become politicized, the report calls for urgent bipartisan cooperation and “the need to unite across the urban-rural divide.”
“Our research clearly shows that extreme weather is not a partisan issue,” Amy Chester, director of Rebuild by Design at NYU, said in a release. “Constituents all over the U.S. are suffering through these events, with lasting consequences. Now is the time to shift those post-disaster dollars to programs that help communities prepare for climate events so they do not need to suffer first.”
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