We employ a novel spatial regression model to estimate effects of windstorm loss mitigation features on the value of coastal homes. Specifically, we consider joint effects of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety's (IBHS) FORTIFIED HOME^TM . designation (henceforth Fortified) and...

Take-up rates for windstorm-resistant buildings remain relatively low even in areas with high exposure to hurricanes and tropical storms. To further investigate this issue, we extend the theory on WTP for prevention to include risk attitudes up to the fourth order, deriving total effects and...

We show that the value of risk reduction changes rapidly when loss is high, due to interactions between skewness of wealth () and kurtosis risk aversion (K(x¯)), increasing ambiguity in model predictions. However, when the initial probability of loss (p) <<< and K(x¯) <(>), risk seeking (risk averse), imprudent...</<<>

The purpose of this study is to assess the need for additional regulation and regulatory resources to address Big Data applications in insurance. I find the current regulatory framework is well-suited to address Big Data concerns. Moreover, with cooperation between insurers and regulators, the...

We reexamine life insurance and annuity pricing during the 2008 financial crisis. In contrastwith previous research, we find that insurers sold policies at significantly elevated markups overtheir fundamental values during the crisis months and, moreover, that statutory accountingpressures had...

We examine small business financing outcomes approximately one year after Hurricane Harvey. Our data include the credit reports of 8,219 businesses and a detailed survey of 273 businesses in the affected area. We find that Harvey-related flooding increased credit delinquencies, especially...

We use data on fatal crashes to quantify the risk of distracted driving. We repurpose, extend, and improve a methodology used to estimate the riskiness of drinking drivers (Levitt and Porter 2001). Our analysis suggests that distracted drivers are three times more likely to cause a fatal crash...

We assess the capacity of the U.S. property-liability insurance industry and the efficiency of the state guaranty fund system in response to large scale loss events to assess the resilience of the current system to the growing challenges of climate change. We identify characteristics of the...