“The Sexiest Race on the Ballot” – Grist

Hello everyone and welcome to State of Emergency. I’m Jesse Nichols, a video producer and reporter for Grist, and today I’m here to talk about how the effects of our worsening climate are bringing increased attention to a largely overlooked section of our state’s ballot: the Insurance Commissioner election.

If you watched the presidential debate earlier this month, you might have been surprised by Vice President Kamala Harris’ response when asked about climate change. Rather than focusing on the dangers of drought or rising sea levels, her answer focused on home insurance. “This is a very real thing,” Harris said. “If you ask anyone who lives in a state that’s experienced these extreme weather events, they’re either being denied home insurance right now or their premiums are going up.”

Since 2020, the number and severity of natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes has upended the home insurance market, sending premiums soaring. And this election season, insurance commissioners, the state officials responsible for regulating the industry and approving premium increases, are suddenly in a tough position.

I live in Washington state, one of 11 states that elects an insurance commissioner. Like many voters, I hadn’t given much thought to this unassuming position at the bottom of the ballot. And, according to former California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, I wasn’t the only one to think so. “It’s [voters] “You have to pay attention until things get bad,” Jones said. “Now things are getting bad.”

In recent years, many people have been affected by climate disasters. Insurance companies are in the redwhile driving 33 percent increase Average home insurance premiums nationwide.

Unaffordable insurance premiums are one of the most tangible impacts of climate change on ordinary Americans, and this election season, frustrated voters in some states are turning their attention to a once-obscure insurance commissioner race.

“This is the most fascinating race on the ballot,” said Democrat Natasha Marcus, who is running for North Carolina insurance commissioner. “Once people realize how directly it affects their wallets, they’re going to care.” Marcus, a state senator, is challenging incumbent Commissioner Mike Causey after a controversial rate hike proposal earlier this year. In January, the insurance industry filed a lawsuit against the state. They asked for a 42 percent increase. He called for higher home insurance rates — in some coastal areas, as much as 99 percent higher. The proposal was met with fierce opposition — Causey’s office received more than 24,000 emails and a public comment session earlier this year saw about seven hours of angry testimony. Causey ultimately backed out. The first proposal was rejectedclaims the rate increases are “excessive and unjustifiably discriminatory,” but no decision has been made on the new premiums.

Marcus, who has been running neck and neck with Causey in recent opinion polls, worries that insurance companies are using extreme weather as an excuse to unfairly charge high premiums. New York Times investigation She said state insurers have been profitable for 10 of the past 11 years, which is why her campaign is focused primarily on making the rate-setting process more transparent.

Candidates across the country are also pushing for more adaptation and resilience measures. In North Carolina, Marcus wants to expand a state program that provides grants for storm-proof roofs. Washington and Montana He would like to see insurance incentives offered to homeowners who fireproof their homes.

There’s much more to this story than it will fit in your inbox. To read the full article on how the insurance crisis is changing the election, click here.

What we’re reading

Will extreme weather wake up voters? The frequency of floods and wildfires over the past decade has heightened public awareness of global warming, with more voters citing extreme weather as a primary reason for taking action on climate change. My colleague Syris Valentine at Grist has written a detailed analysis of this shift.
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How much did the hurricane cost? Hurricanes cause billions of dollars in damage, but their impacts go far beyond what insurance companies and government agencies can calculate. Grist reporters Matt Simon and Ayurella Horn Mueller write about how storms have a “ripple effect” on the economy.
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Helen’s approach: A tropical storm in the Caribbean is expected to become Hurricane Helen later this week and cause extensive damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast, an area that has seen multiple landfalls over the past few years, including Category 1 hurricane Debbie a few months ago.
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Harris gets star power: Vice President Kamala Harris got help from two celebrities last week as she made her case to voters on climate change: actress Jane Fonda urged disaffected young people to stay on the sidelines, and science guru Bill Nye backed her during a speech at Duke University in the battleground state of North Carolina.
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Czech vote after the floods: Voters in the Czech Republic cast their ballots in parliamentary elections last week in the aftermath of devastating floods that killed at least 24 people and destroyed polling infrastructure in dozens of small towns, forcing authorities to open temporary polling stations.
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