Thought Leadership on Disaster Preparedness

To address the crisis of availability and affordability of coastal wind insurance for homeowners, in 2009, the Travelers Institute, the public policy division of Travelers, developed the Travelers Coastal Wind Zone Plan, a comprehensive, private-market approach to insuring the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Building on this flagship publication, the Travelers Institute launched a series of events to raise awareness about coastal challenges and disaster preparedness, including a Kicking Off Hurricane Preparedness Season event, to help families, businesses and communities prepare ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Recent programming and educational outreach in this area from the Travelers Institute include a virtual program on advances in tech-enabled insurance claim capabilities that help insurance industry professionals and insureds respond more quickly to disasters. Given the dual challenges of preparing for a disaster while facing the pandemic, the Travelers Institute teamed up with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) during National Hurricane Preparedness Week on a media campaign to provide information and tips on preparing a home or business for a disaster. These included highlighting digital resources and virtual inspection solutions to handle claims and continue providing services when disaster strikes. In addition, the Travelers Institute convened IBHS and APCIA for a webinar through the Wednesdays with Woodward® series to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the IBHS Research Center, highlighting successes and lessons learned on preparedness for wildfires, hail and wind events.

Additionally, following recent extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy, the Travelers Institute launched Insurance Essentials: Your Questions Answered, an initiative aimed at helping individuals make informed decisions when selecting personal insurance policies.

Related Resources

• Travelers Institute Webinar: The Tech-Enabled Insurance Claim Revolution
• Travelers Institute Webinar: Weathering the Storm: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
• Resilient Coasts: A Blueprint for Action
• Travelers Wildfire Defense Services Endorsement