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Episode 1319Jan 28, 2025

From Burning Questions: Is the future insurable?

The LA fires and the insurability crisis.

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A church in the Pacific Palisades is destroyed after wildfires roared through the community in early January.
A church in the Pacific Palisades is destroyed after wildfires roared through the community in early January.
Caitlin Esch/Marketplace

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Today we’re handing the mic over to the team behind “Burning Questions” from Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast “How We Survive” as they survey the devastation on the ground in the Pacific Palisades, and dig into the homeowners insurance crisis. Since the Los Angeles fires broke out, thousands have lost their homes and current estimates say insured losses may exceed $30 billion. The disaster has raised existential questions about the future of the insurance industry and its potential impact on the housing market. Host Amy Scott talks with Carolyn Kousky from the Environmental Defense Fund to find answers.

The Team