Last week (March 4-6) the National
Earthquake Conference — attended by
hundreds of experts, including
academics, engineers, government leaders, insurance professionals, and
scientists – took place in San Diego.
The day after the conference, as if to make a point, a 5.5.
magnitude earthquake that
struck Baja California, Mexico, shook San Diego.
While no damage was reported, a study released
at the conference by the San Diego chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research
Institute showed that a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on San Diego’s Rose Canyon
Fault could damage 100,000 residences, cause widespread road and bridge
failures, and make parts of Mission Bay sink about a foot. Such a quake would
inflict an estimated $38 billion in building and infrastructure damage,
displacing 36,000 households and wreaking havoc on San Diego’s $245 billion
economy.
Don’t be scared, be prepared
Conference goals were to improve life safety when earthquakes
occur, to help communities learn how to recover faster, and to help prevent or
minimize physical earthquake damage through stronger building practices,
including research-informed, model building codes and standards.
Janet Ruiz, Triple-I’s Director of Strategic
Communications, who was one of the attendees, said one of the great points of
the conference was: “Don’t be scared, be prepared.”
Earthquake risk is insurable
One of the ways to be prepared for any disaster is to make sure you have adequate insurance. But as few as 13 percent of California homeowners have earthquake insurance.
Glenn Pomeroy of the California Earthquake Authority said earthquake risk is insurable. The average annual cost of earthquake insurance for a typical home in San Diego is between $100 and $444. Renters can secure financial protection from CEA for as little as $35 per month.
As COVID-19 spreads, we’ve been hearing more about the importance of hygiene and maintaining “social distance.”
Last night I found out the cyberrisk conference I was
scheduled to attend this morning had been changed to a “virtual” meeting. With
so many events being canceled
or postponed out of an abundance of caution over the spreading COVID-19
virus, it was nice to know the show would go on safely.
I’d already been working from home (thank you, Triple-I!) to
avoid exposure during my train commute and potentially becoming a “vector” to family,
friends, and co-workers. As I waited for the event to begin, I scrolled through
my news feed and spotted several stories about risks related to increased
remote work.
Cyberrisk featured prominently in these articles. Unprotected
devices, they warned, can lead to data losses, privacy breaches, and ransomware
attacks.
One
article alluded to campaigns designed specifically to tap into concerns
around COVID-19.
“We are already seeing targeted phishing campaigns
globally,” said New Zealand Health IT chief executive Scott Arrol. “The
cyber virus taking advantage of the biological virus.”
Arrol said hackers seeking to exploit fears of Covid-19 are
sending fake ads or links with online viruses.
The message “might look like it has come from the World
Health Organization, inviting you to register for more information,” he said. “You
click on that link, you’ll be taken to fill out a form and then suddenly…you’re
giving away personal information you shouldn’t.”
Technology can help us maintain social distance, but the devices we rely on need to be managed and protected, lest they make us even more vulnerable.
Insurance broker Aon has issued an advisory cautioning
employers to take steps to ensure that work-from-home employees can connect to secure
remote networks, a Claims Journalarticle
says.
“Any time you’re taking about employees who are not used to
working from home, who may not have the correct cybersecurity posture, a
virtual private network (VPN) is critically important and having two-factor
authentication is critically important,” Aon Senior Vice President Stephanie
Snyder said.
A VPN connects remote users or regional offices to a
company’s private internal network. Two-factor authentication adds a layer of
security beyond a password to make sure a user is authorized to access the
system.
Snyder added that telecommuters may be tempted to work from their laptops at a coffee shop – potentially exposing their computers to intrusion. She said employers need to have strict security protocols in place to avoid such exposures.
So, I wasn’t surprised when one of the first speakers at the
event I was “attending” mentioned viral epidemics like COVID-19 as something
underwriters just a few years ago would not have considered a factor in
assessing cyber risk but now should.
As I’ve written before,
increasingly interconnected risks require a holistic approach to risk
management – one that takes into account preparation, mitigation, and built-in
resilience. As COVID-19 has spread beyond its origins in Asia, we’ve been
hearing more about the importance of hygiene and of maintaining “social
distance.”
Technology can help us maintain social distance, but the devices we rely on need to be managed and protected, lest they make us even more vulnerable.
By
Mary-Anne Firneno, Research Manager, Insurance Information Institute
Americans
have embraced the Internet of Things. As consumers own more internet-connected
devices and buy more products online and businesses use more electronic data
and online storage, cyberattacks continue to occur.
Despite
reports of ever-larger data breaches, awareness of the protection available to consumers
through insurance has shrunk over the past year, according to a survey from the
Triple-I and J.D Power.
Yet consumers
are interested in cyberrisk insurance. More than half of connected-device
owners (56 percent) said they believed homeowners or auto policies should offer
cybersecurity coverage.
So why don’t more consumers buy cyberrisk insurance? The 2020 Consumer Cyber Survey found that three-quarters of connected consumers are reluctant to pay more for cyberrisk coverage – despite the fact that cyber coverage is relatively inexpensive: about $10 from a package policy and about $40 for a separate one.
Persistent
attitudes that cyber coverage is a not a product consumers are willing to
purchase is an opportunity for insurance professionals to explain the value of
personal cyber coverage.
By Loretta Worters, Vice President, Media
Relations, Insurance Information Institute
Millennials – the generation born between 1980 and 2000 – have begun to
influence charitable giving. They prefer
to work for companies that are involved in charitable causes, seeking a greater
desire to make a social impact through their work, compared with previous
generations. In addition, they tend to
share these values on social media.
These are some philanthropic trends in insurance industry Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR), identified in “Charitable Giving in the Insurance
Industry,” a report by the Insurance Industry Charitable
Foundation (IICF),
released in partnership with McKinsey & Company. The report, along with
IICF’s 2019 Philanthropic Showcase, highlight each of its Key Partner
Company’s charitable endeavors in 2019.
The McKinsey
report found that the level of giving has remained consistent, with a focus on
education, health and social services, and community. One key factor behind
this finding is industry consolidation, which has lowered the number of
companies engaged in corporate giving. Insurers are also orienting philanthropy
more around volunteerism. As a result, industry-wide giving has held steady
between $560 million and $600 million in cash, grants, and other donations
since 2015.
In addition to
the influence of millennials on the types of charitable engagements companies
pursue within their communities, the report offers a glimpse of the industry’s
philanthropic commitment and highlights opportunities to expand programs and
fuel community engagement. Charitable giving in the insurance industry
continues to be an important focus.
Some of the report’s key findings, based upon responses
from property and casualty companies and for the first time since 2011 life
insurance and wealth management segments of the industry, include:
• The industry’s desire to work toward a single cause has
increased to 33 percent in 2019 from 17 percent in 2015.
• The importance of giving within their own communities was
evident as about 30 percent of respondents in 2019 prioritize contributions
where employees live and work and where significant business is already done.
• Insurers have shifted their charitable focus toward
increased volunteering opportunities, recognizing millennials prefer to work
with companies directly involved in charitable efforts and activities, rather
than those making only monetary donations.
• Measurement of charitable giving has increased, to 41
percent in 2019 from 26 percent in 2015, as more companies use key performance
indicators to evaluate the impact of their philanthropy.
For organizations looking to amplify either the impact of
their philanthropic efforts or the range of causes, the findings point to a few
key opportunities including planning for greater employee engagement, with a
special focus on millennials to further employee-focused giving strategies; to measure the impact of philanthropy to
identify and build on charitable successes and refine metrics and giving
standards; to rethink roles across the giving organization as CSR leadership
and employee-driven engagement become increasingly common and CEOs continue to
set broad direction; and finally to consider the value and benefits of a
united, collaborative industry approach to CSR.
The devastating storms that ripped through central Tennessee on March
3 remind us that tornadoes continue to be one of the most destructive and
costly natural disasters.
Tornadoes are more common in the central United States, though they can occur almost anywhere in North America, including in large cities. They can happen at any time of year or at any time of the day or night, though they occur most frequently between early spring and July.
Below are some of the basic precautions to take before, during and after a tornado.
Before
The Red Cross recommends
the following precautions:
Identify a safe place in your home
where household members and pets will gather during a tornado: a basement,
storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
In a high-rise building, pick a
hallway in the center of the building. You may not have enough time to go to
the lowest floor.
In a mobile home, choose a safe
place in a nearby sturdy building. If your mobile home park has a designated
shelter, make it your safe place. No mobile home, however configured, is
safe in a tornado.
During
When
a tornado warning sounds or a tornado has been sighted, do not try to outrun
it. Stay calm but quickly seek shelter in the safest place possible.
If you are at
home, the safest
place to be is underground. Basements are usually the most protected area, but
if this is not an option take cover in central part of the house away from
windows—for example in a bathroom, closet, interior hallway or under a heavy
piece of furniture.
If you are in an
office building or skyscraper, go
directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building—away from
glass and on the lowest floor possible—and crouch down and cover your head.
Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter and, if they are
not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay off elevators, you
could get trapped if the power is lost. If you are in a tall building, you may
not have enough time to evacuate to the lowest floor.
If you are at
school, follow the
staff instructions and go to an interior hall or room in an orderly way as
directed. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your
arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
If you are in a
car or truck, abandon the
vehicle and seek shelter in sturdy structure. If you are in open country, seek
shelter in the nearest ditch. Lie flat, face down on low ground, protecting the
back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you
can.
If you are in
a mobile home, get
out! Even if the home is tied down, you are probably safer outside.
After
Damage caused by tornadoes is covered under standard
homeowners and business insurance policies, as well as the optional
comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy.
If you sustain tornado damage:
Contact your insurer as soon as
possible and start the claims filing process. After tornadoes and other
disasters, insurance companies will reach out to those with the worst losses
first.
Take photos of any damage. A
photographic record is useful when making insurance claims.
Make temporary repairs to prevent
further loss from rain, wind or looting; these costs are reimbursable under
most policies, so save the receipts.
Make a detailed list of all
damaged or destroyed personal property. If you have a home inventory, it will
be extremely useful here. Don’t throw out damaged property until you have met
with an adjuster.
Don’t rush to sign repair
contracts. Do your homework, deal with reputable contractors and get
references. Be sure of payment terms and consult your insurance adjuster before
you sign any contracts.
If your home is uninhabitable
because of tornado damage, your homeowners or renters insurance provides
coverage for additional living expenses (ALE), such as hotel bills or meals
out. Save all related receipts and, if you have vacated your home premises,
make sure your insurance representative knows where and how to contact you.
Talk to your insurance
professional if you have any questions about any part of your insurance
coverage.
More on how to file a claim following a disaster here
Facts & statistics on tornadoes and thunderstorms here
The Insurance Information Institute invited its members to a webinar titled “Covid-19’s Impact on Health, the Economy and Growth” on March 5 at 11:00 a.m. EST presented by Triple-I Vice President and Senior Economist Michel Léonard, PhD, CBE.
Dr. Lèonard will discuss the following key points:
• Economic impact likely to continue into Q3/Q4 2020 and 2021 • Could reduce global growth by as much as 1 percent and delay recovery by up to 12 months • Fiscal and monetary policy, rates cuts, unlikely to be effective • Insurance industry to see higher claims, reduced premium growth
He will also preview the Global Macro and Industry Outlook report before it is made available to the public.
To find out more about the benefits of Triple-I membership click here.
COVID-19, the new coronavirus, has killed more than three
times as many people as the 2003 SARS epidemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that, as of 10
a.m. Central European Time (CET) on March 1, there were 87,137 confirmed
COVID-19 cases and 2,977 of the infected people had died. From November 2002
through July 2003, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 8,098 people worldwide became sick with severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) and 774 died.
More people are believed to have been infected with COVID-19
than official statistics show. This is because confirmed infections are based
on positive tests for the virus, and some countries—including the United
States—have been doing very little testing. Further, the estimated 2 percent
death rate attributed to the disease is based on this unreliable infection
count.
Instead of SARS, some are now comparing COVID-19 with the Ebola pandemic of
2014 to 2016. Ebola is believed to have
killed about 50 percent of those it infected, but that outbreak was contained
before it reached the same number of infections as COVID-19.
So, is there a useful historic comparison
to be made with COVID-19? I would argue that there is: the “Spanish Flu” of
1918-19.
Policemen in Seattle during the influenza epidemic. December 1918. National Archives.
There is no vaccine for COVID-19, and
experts suggest it could take a year or
more to develop, test, manufacture, and distribute a vaccine. This suggests
there are few medical strategies for dealing with the current outbreak. It’s as
though we’re medically in the world of 100 years ago.
The 1918 flu virus had an estimated
mortality rate of about 2 percent and was very infectious. It is estimated that
as many as one-third of the entire world population was infected at some time,
so even a 2 percent mortality rate caused millions of deaths.
This raises a scary thought about how
the COVID-19 pandemic might play out: the Spanish Flu swept around the globe in
three phases. The first was in the
Spring of 1918 and, although it infected widely, had a relatively low mortality
rate. The second phase occurred in the Fall of 1918. This phase saw faster
infection spread and was much more deadly. The third phase was in February and
March of 1919 and was less infectious and less deadly than either of the two
prior phases.
World War I – with large concentrations
of soldiers in barracks and trenches and truck convoys moving across Europe –
may have contributed to this infectious arc. But the virus killed more people
than the war on every continent except Europe.
Insurance
industry impact
What would a COVID-19 pandemic mean
for insurers? The main impact would likely be on health insurers, since the
number of people seeking hospitalization would likely spike claims far beyond
anything their rate structures have anticipated. In 1918 hospitals were so overwhelmed
that auditoriums, indoor sports arenas, and similar spaces were set up to house
patients. Scarcity rates would apply; for example, the number of respirators
available currently is far short of what would be needed, and prices for new
supply would likely surge.
As I’ve written previously, for life insurers the effect of a severe pandemic would depend on
which segments of the population are likely to die. In 1918, in addition to the
very old, that virus struck unusually strongly at people in the prime working
years, triggering benefits from both individual and group life insurance. The
sudden impact of such unpredicted losses would affect all life insurers,
particularly the weaker ones.
In the property and casualty sector, the
line most directly affected is likely to be workers compensation, particularly
for health care workers and others exposed to the virus as a result of their
work—such as police, fire, and EMT. Another possible line affected is various
liability lines, involving claims from people who became sick from
manufacturing, dispensing, or receiving a vaccine or other treatments. In
recent years, Congress passed laws blocking such liability claims, but it’s not
clear that it will do so again today.
Beyond the direct effects to
insurance, there are growing forecasts that the global economy, and especially
particular sectors, could see dramatic cutbacks. Businesses and other
organizations that involve people gathering in crowds are already seeing such
effects, and insurance premiums that reflect these downturns are likely to
follow. However, claims are also likely to turn down (e.g., fewer auto
accidents), so the effect on those lines might actually be neutral or positive.
Learn from history
Today people and goods move around the
world with unprecedented speed. Urban environments and the transit systems that
serve them are as packed with people as any military convoy or trench network.
If COVID-19 follows a similar track to
that of the Spanish Flu, the current outbreak would turn out to have been a
mild phase. If this scenario is correct, the first phase would taper off in a
month or two, followed by several months in which the virus would appear to
have ended its threat.
We should continue developing vaccines
and other preventive/mitigating measures during this lull to better prepare for
the more virulent phase that might manifest in the second half of 2020. Failure
to do so would mean we’ve learned nothing from the worst global pandemic in the
last 100 years.
As we take
our precautions and wait for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to declare COVID-19 a pandemic,
now might be a good time to breathe and think about what this outbreak and
other perils in the news can teach us about how we think about risk.
COVID-19 has spread far beyond its origins in China. People
worldwide have been infected. Many in China and some beyond have died.
In addition to the human toll, concerns exist about disruptions
to global supply chains, economic systems, and markets.
Nothing I’m about to say should be read as minimizing these dangers.
Not our first outbreak
But this isn’t the first infectious outbreak we’ve faced, and it won’t be the last. With people and products traveling the world and economies increasingly interconnected, disease transmission and commercial disruption related to it are inevitable.
How we handle them will be predicated upon how we think
about risk.
At this writing, there are 60 cases of
COVID-19 in the United States – none considered “Serious” or “Critical.” There
have been no deaths and six recoveries. Compare these numbers with the 280,000 to
500,000 flu hospitalizations and 16,000
to 41,000 flu deaths this year to date, as reported
by the CDC.[i]
Americans aren’t panicking about influenza, and the media
aren’t giving the flu nearly as much attention as COVID-19. These facts appear
to be related. As we previously
reported, research suggests public anxiety about potential causes of death correlates
with the amount of media play they receive; and the media often underreport
threats that are statistically more substantial than dangers they emphasize.
We’re not panicking because we’re familiar with the flu and know the drill: wash your hands frequently; cough into your sleeve; avoid crowds as much as is reasonable.
Good news! Following this advice also helps slow the spread
of COVID-19.
If we’re panicking over COVID-19, it’s due largely to the coverage
it’s receiving and the fact that markets are reacting dramatically. Our reactions
have little to do with the likelihood of our being infected.
Pedestrian dangers
Until WHO and CDC tell us otherwise, do you know what’s more
likely to kill you than the coronavirus?
That’s right: An automobile.
According to a report
published this week by the Governors Highway Association (GHA), pedestrian auto
fatalities in 2019 were at their highest since 1988.
“During the 10-year period of 2009 to 2018,” the report
says, “the number of pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. increased by 53 percent,
from 4,109 in 2009 to 6,283 in 2018.”
It estimates 6,590 pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2019,
the most in more than 30 years.
Possible reasons include smart phone use by pedestrians and
drivers; increasing purchases of light trucks and SUVs relative to passenger cars;
even more people walking due to warming temperature trends.
As word of this report spreads, don’t expect people to
change their phone, car-buying, or walking habits. We accept these risks
because we enjoy the freedom and control that goes with making our own decisions.
We roll with them because they feel familiar and manageable.
As a colleague expressed it: “That’s why Jaws didn’t
scare me. All I had to do to avoid sharks was to stay out of the ocean. Now, Freddy
Krueger was another story….”
If you’d like to be better informed about relative mortality
risks, the chart below is a good place to start. The list – which represents
only accidental deaths – is by no means exhaustive. In fact, a different
study, based on data from the same year (2017), found accidental deaths were
the third-largest mortality category, after heart disease and cancer.
Close behind accidents were respiratory disease and stroke.
Public anxiety over COVID-19 is due more to media coverage and market reactions than likelihood of infection.
[i] Because
influenza surveillance does not capture all cases of flu that occur in the
U.S., CDC provides these estimated ranges to better reflect the larger burden
of influenza. These estimates are calculated based on CDC’s weekly influenza
surveillance data and are preliminary.
Health officials in the U.S. have
advised businesses, schools and communities to prepare for a possible
outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. On Tuesday, February 25, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said a wider spread of the virus in the
U.S. can be expected, but the agency is uncertain of the severity of the
threat.
The disruption to everyday life could be severe.
“It’s not so much a question of if this will happen
anymore but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen and how
many people in this country will have severe illness,” said
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory
Diseases at the CDC.
Being prepared for a pandemic should be a part of every
household’s emergency plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready.gov website offers the following tips:
Before a Pandemic
Store a two-week supply of water and food.
Periodically check your regular prescription
drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home.
Have any nonprescription drugs and other health
supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold
medicines, fluids with electrolytes, and vitamins.
Get copies and maintain electronic versions of
health records from doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and other sources and store
them, for personal reference. Get help accessing electronic health records.
Talk with family members and loved ones about
how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care
for them in your home.
During a Pandemic
Limit spread of germs and prevent infection.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
When you are sick, keep your distance from
others to protect them from getting sick too.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when
coughing or sneezing.
Washing your hands often will help protect you
from germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of
sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and
eat nutritious food.
Here at the Triple-I blog, we’ve been following the news of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease both from an insurance industry and a public safety perspective over the past few weeks. For Triple-I members, we also make available a database of news abstracts. Members can access the latest news pertaining to COVID-19, by clicking here (scroll down on the page to the coronavirus in the news section).
Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged by flooding, as
heavy rains inundated Jackson, Mississippi over the Presidents Day weekend,
pushing the Pearl River to its third-highest crest ever.
“If these heavier rainfall events increase in
frequency, our rivers and streams are going to be responding in line too,” said
Suzanne Van Cooten, hydrologist in charge of the National Weather Service’s
Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center to the Wall
Street Journal.
Federal data show last year was the second wettest on record
across the continental U.S., and Mississippi’s river communities are keeping an
eye on forecasts after an unusually early start to the 2020 spring flood season
following a soggy 2019.
Yet flood insurance take-up rates remain low. “The alarming truth is that entirely too many Americans could protect themselves with flood insurance, but simply don’t know the extreme risk of devastation they are facing, or even worse, they are deciding to take their chances and ignore it, said Sean Kevelighan, Triple-I CEO. “Triple-I’s recent analysis of National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) data which is now illustrated in an interactive map of Mississippi counties along the Pearl River show some counties’ flood insurance take-up rates are as low as .01 percent. In other words, as much as 99.9 percent of people living in an active flood prone area are without any protection or recovery method. The intent of sharing this information is to encourage Americans to take more action to protect themselves by identifying the right insurance coverage, coupled with taking recommended precautionary measures, all of which are proven to dramatically boost their ability to recover from disaster.”
“Unacceptably low”
Flooding is the most common and costly natural
disaster in the U.S., causing billions in economic losses each year.
According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), 90 percent of
natural disasters in the U.S. involve flooding. Flood damage is excluded under standard
homeowners and renters insurance policies, but, flood coverage is available as
a separate policy from the NFIP and from some private insurers.
Flood insurance was long considered an untouchable risk by
private insurers because they didn’t have a reliable way to measure the risk.
In recent years, however, modeling firms are getting better at assessing flood
risk, and insurers have become more comfortable underwriting it.
Triple-I’s 2018 Pulse survey found 15 percent of U.S. homeowners
had flood insurance, up from 12 percent who had the coverage in 2016. A McKinsey
& Co. analysis found that as many as 80 percent of Texas, 60 percent of
Florida, and 99 percent of Puerto Rico homeowners lacked flood insurance. Munich
Re has called flood insurance take-up rates “unacceptably low.”
Reasons often cited for lack of coverage is that it is too
expensive, that homeowners are not aware they don’t have it, and that people
underestimate the risk of flooding.
At Triple-I’s 2020 Joint
Industry Forum, FEMA Deputy Administrator for
Resilience Dan Kaniewski and
Weather Channel Hurricane expert Dr. Rick Knabb, talked emphatically about the need for
flood insurance – even where banks don’t require it to provide mortgages.
“When we at FEMA talk about
‘resilience,’” Kaniewski said, “we mean preparedness. We mean mitigation. We
mean insurance. Insurance is the best resilience tool.”
Knabb agreed, calling upon meteorologists around the world to
“talk about insurance more.” He also called on insurance agents to discuss
flood coverage for their customers who aren’t in flood zones.
“If it can rain where you live,” he said, “it can flood where you
live.”
