Hurricane exposure, structural vulnerability, and insurance gaps drive property damage after superstorm sandy

This study examines property damage resulting from Superstorm Sandy (2012) using a household survey conducted in affected areas across ten states in the Northeastern United States. We employ spatial econometric tools to investigate the impact of hurricane intensity and home structural characteristics on damages, as well as associated spatial dependencies. To control for hurricane severity and assess hazard exposure, we generate multiple hurricane intensity measures at the census-tract level, which provides exogenous variation for the survey data. Our analysis provides empirical evidence demonstrating that both hurricane exposure and structural vulnerabilities significantly contribute to property damage. Additionally, we find that insurance coverage plays a crucial role in mitigating losses for affected households. Our analysis also uncovers several insurance challenges, including inadequate coverage, socioeconomic disparities, and underinsurance in high-risk areas. These findings highlight the need for improved insurance policies and disaster risk reduction strategies to better protect vulnerable communities from future hurricane risks.