Kqeds Forum

Even before the fires in Los Angeles, California’s insurance market was under enormous pressure. Extreme weather events like wildfires, which have been supersized due to climate change, previously led national carriers like Allstate and State Farm to stop writing new homeowners policies. And some property owners are facing non-renewal for homes deemed by insurance companies to be at risk. California is not alone in this dilemma. Florida has the highest insurance rates in the country, and its residents pay 37% more for coverage as compared to national averages. We’ll talk to experts about how these latest fires will impact the state’s insurance industry and the future of insurance in a climate change-charged world. Guests: Michael Wara, policy director, Sustainability Accelerator at the Doerr School of Sustainability, director, Climate and Energy Policy Program, senior research scholar, Woods Institute for the Environment; Stanford University Dave Jones, former Insurance commissioner, California Department of