News
Millions of homes in the U. S. are uninsured. NPR wants to hear your story
2+ hour, 55+ min ago (131+ words) NPR Millions of homes in the U. S. are uninsured. NPR wants to hear your story This aerial view shows residential lots cleared after homes were destroyed in the January 2025 Eaton Fire beside homes that are still standing in Altadena, Calif. ROBYN…...
Lawsuits accuse State Farm of secretly working to cut insurance payouts
2+ hour, 57+ min ago (1682+ words) The storm swept into Tulsa County, Okla. , around dinnertime on May 21, 2024, hammering people's houses with hail the size of golf balls. It was so loud that when a neighbor called Tim Willard, he couldn't make out what they were saying…...
Don't get taken for a ride by your car insurer: Life Kit: Money
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (495+ words) Between the start of 2022 and the start of 2025, car insurance rates jumped by more than 50%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Luckily, there are tried-and-true tactics for finding the cheapest deal you can -- from comparing rates from multiple insurance…...
2025 saw relatively fewer natural disasters. Will you get a break on home insurance?
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (328+ words) Climate change is fueling more extreme weather that damages and destroys property. We know that, and we also know it's been driving up home insurance costs. But 2025 was a relatively quiet year for disasters. Does that mean insurance premiums will…...
'Catastrophe bonds' are gaining popularity as a response to climate change
4+ mon, 2+ week ago (103+ words) After the hurricane in Jamaica, the government had a pot of money to help rebuild. A Catastrophe Bonds payout. We explain how it works and why Cat Bond popularity is on the rise as a response to climate change. 'Catastrophe…...
How hurricanes became a hot investment: Planet Money
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (215+ words) In finance terms, these kinds of wagers are called "catastrophe bonds." They're a way to get investors to share the risk of a major disaster, whether that's a Japanese earthquake, a California wildfire, or a Jamaican hurricane." Music: Universal Music…...
Communities are reducing wildfire risk. Will their insurance bills go down?
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (1423+ words) Residents in Lake County, Calif. are increasingly being dropped by their insurance companies. Home insurance cancellations happen more frequently there than almost anywhere else in the country. Lauren Sommer/NPR hide caption In the rolling hills of Lake County, Calif....
Disaster and insurance costs are rising. The middle class is struggling to hang on
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (1657+ words) A person fishes next to a broken pier in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. , in October. The city is still rebuilding after Hurricane Ian devastated the area in 2022. High costs for construction and insurance have made Fort Myers Beach unaffordable for…...
Why home insurance is unaffordable, even in places without wildfires or hurricanes
5+ mon, 2+ week ago (1636+ words) A hailstorm damaged virtually every building in the small town of Cozad, Neb. in June 2024. More than a year later, Baltazar Avalos is still working to fix damage to his home. Rebecca Hersher/NPR hide caption The storm blew into…...
It's harder to get home insurance. That's changing communities across the U. S.
5+ mon, 2+ week ago (1723+ words) Home insurance is getting less affordable, and less available, as insurers raise prices and pull back from areas with extreme weather. That is changing communities, including those in Southwest Florida that were damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Ryan Kellman/NPR…...