The roles of insurance in managed retreats

Managed retreat—moving people and buildings away from areas at high risk of disasters—is becoming more important as sea levels rise and extreme weather worsens.

Traditionally, these retreats have been funded through government buyouts, but this approach may not be enough to meet growing needs. This report looks at how insurance can support managed retreat: how insurance influences decisions to relocate, how it affects the overall feasibility of retreat, and how new insurance models could help fund relocations more fully.

The authors also explore how insurance policies could be designed to make managed retreat easier, such as including agreements that property owners will relocate after a major damaging event.