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Climate Insurance? California Department Of Insurance Releases Report to Re-Imagine Insurance

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Record fires. Record drought. Record Rain.

And that's just since August.

With so many extremes hitting California, the state is now talking about Climate Insurance.

The next disaster - combined with a lack of insurance that many can't afford and is getting even more expensive - has the state considering a new community-based approach to lower risk, and make sure more people are protected against catastrophic weather events.

"Climate insurance is about protecting people," says a video released by the Department of Insurance alongside a report seeking to re-imagine insurance.

One approach? Community-based insurance.

"I think there's potential for a group - like a neighborhood association - to say, 'Hey, we should consider an insurance policy for our neighborhood' or a set of business owners in a certain district," said Kristen Torres-Pawling, an urban planner at the Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office.

The report suggests neighborhoods, cities or counties could buy insurance to guarantee everyone has some degree of coverage.

It could force communities to invest to lower fire and flood risks to keep insurance costs down.

Ideas to lower risk include building wetlands to store water in floods, creating statewide hazard maps so residents are clear on the risks where they live, and naming heatwaves like hurricanes so people properly prepare.

But right now, these are all just ideas.

"There's a lot of different ways you can set it up. The report was really to whet the appetites of thinkers in this his space to say 'Huh? How can we apply community insurance?'" Torres-Pawling said.

The Department of Insurance admits there is no immediate benefit. The report is the starting point. They hope it leads to pilot programs but no one can say when.

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