Earthquake insurance can be a powerful tool for speeding and strengthening recovery after an earthquake, yet data show that uptake of residential earthquake insurance in the U.S. is low. This free one-day forum will bring together state emergency managers and insurance professionals to take a closer look at earthquake insurance, exploring its potential as a resilience tool and examining equity concerns and other challenges that have so far limited its role in financial preparedness. Because an important part of the preparedness equation is public awareness and action, the forum will also present research and messaging tools that participants can use in their earthquake education and outreach programs.
The forum is hosted by the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) and Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC), with funding support provided through FEMA’s National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).
When: Monday, March 28, 2022 | 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CT)
Where: Central Station Hotel, 545 S Main St., Memphis, TN 38103 (note: the venue is the same as the 2022 National Earthquake Program Managers (NEPM) meeting (March 29-31).
This will be a hybrid event: a live virtual attendance option will be available for those unable to attend in person. Whether you plan to participate in person or virtually, please register for the event. (We will send out instructions on virtual participation to each participant closer to the event.) If you register to attend in person and later wish to change to virtual attendance, please notify us by email at info@crew.org.
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Agenda Overview (DRAFT)
Morning (9:00–12:10, with one 10-minute break)
- The earthquake insurance gap and resilience priorities (FEMA-NEHRP)
- Conventional (indemnity) vs. parametric earthquake insurance
- California Earthquake Authority: earthquake insurance and home mitigation (successes and challenges)
- Looking at why we don’t insure: Low-probability events and decision making
Panel/Q&A
Working Lunch (12:10–1:10)
- Central U.S. Earthquake Insurance Summit Review
- CREW: EQ-insurance education & outreach products and collaboration site
Afternoon (1:10-4:30, with one 10-minute break)
- FEMA Region IX earthquake insurance project & team
- Uptake of earthquake/disaster insurance: consumer experience
- Consumer research project (Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee)
- Earthquake insurance & financial preparedness: equity challenges
- Approaches to outreach: recommendations based on behavioral research
Panel/Q&A
COVID Safety Policy for this Forum
We are actively monitoring the status of the pandemic. We will keep this page updated and notify all registrants of developments as we approach the date of the event.
- KN95/N95 masks must be worn by all participants at this event. (If needed, KN95/N95 masks will be provided.)
- We have secured exclusive use of the entire hotel meeting space to allow for adequate social distancing.
- Hand and surface sanitizing material will be readily available at the meeting, and common surfaces will be wiped down frequently.
- We are monitoring the guidance from the CDC and local health authorities and will adjust health and safety protocols as relevant or required.
- We will communicate any COVID-19 policies or updates to registered participants ahead of the meeting.
Anyone attending the Mind the Gap earthquake insurance forum is strongly encouraged to take the following steps to limit virus risk during the meeting:
- Be fully vaccinated, including any booster shots, at least two weeks prior to participation in the meeting.
- Test negative for COVID-19 (at-home test OK) 48 hours prior to departure for the meeting.
- Avoid shaking hands and use non-contact greeting methods.
- Practice cough and sneeze “etiquette” as recommended by the CDC.
- Thoroughly wash and sanitize hands on a regular basis or after touching common surfaces.
If participants have been quarantined or potentially exposed to COVID-19 prior to the meeting, they should only attend if they are medically cleared (e.g. negative test) or are past the recommended isolation/quarantine period. Further, any attendee that becomes ill during the meeting is asked to leave immediately and contact a health care provider.