Hurricanes, flood insurance and the dangers of 'business as usual'

The aftermath of any disaster provides opportunities to rebuild in a way that reduces the impacts of future such incidents

In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, it was reported that up to 80% of home damages were not insured. Insurance schemes are widely advocated as a means of facilitating recovery from – or resilience to – natural and human-made disasters. For those without insurance, or who are under-insured, recovery prospects are bleak. Many such people – who are often already living in precarious situations – will leave their homes, never to return, or will live in properties that are unfit for habitation.

But our research suggests that even for those fortunate