Disparities in property insurance relief among socially vulnerable Texas communities after Winter Storm Uri

Abstract

Abstract Property insurance is an important tool for resiliency from the accelerating impacts of climate-intensified extreme weather events. However, disparities in property insurance payouts may reduce their potential protective effects. The objective of this study was to quantify disparities in insurance payouts by Texas’ insurers after the 2021 Winter Storm Uri, and to understand if any socioeconomic factors were associated with higher rates of declined relief. We extracted data from the Texas Department of Insurance on rates of denied insurance claims by zip code and county at 1 month and 13 months into the recovery period. We then linked these data to community-level socioeconomic information. Finally, we produced separate linear regressions for each predictor and covariate. Across both time points, communities with a higher proportion of Hispanic people, primary Spanish speakers, people who did not graduate high school, and people living below the federal poverty line were significantly more likely to experience denied claims. Communities with higher social vulnerability scores also experienced more denied claims. While financial security is a critical social determinant of health, findings suggest that insurers may be engaging in structurally discriminatory practices and failing to provide relief for people from socially vulnerable communities in the wake of climate-intensified events.