The home insurance market is crumbling in New Orleans, leaving Alfredo Herrera with few options for coverage — and skyrocketing insurance premiums.

Herrera, 35, works in finance for a local bank. He bought his 900-square-foot home in New Orleans’ Mid-City neighborhood in 2020 for $270,000, and lives there with his partner.

In 2022, he paid $1,600 a year for home insurance. But last July, his insurer canceled his coverage, saying it was leaving Louisiana.

In the past, acquiring or keeping homeowners’ insurance didn’t present much of a problem.

But as climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather, insurers — especially those in areas most impacted by floods and fires — are raising their premiums, or pulling out altogether, impacting the affordability and availability of home and fire insurance.

  • @stringere@leminal.space
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    13 months ago

    What if those towns just refused to pay mortgages on homes that can’t be insured?

    Are the banks going to send armed squads to evict a whole town?

    • @michaelmrose@lemmy.world
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      23 months ago

      Do you just not know how this works? The authorities will be doing evictions and yes they will take everything. There is literally a company trying to essentially sell a town right now.