“If you’re not insured, you might as well give up, a wine grower stated bluntly.”

The increased severity and occurrence of weather events (rain, wind, hail, drought, etc.) is a well-documented hallmark of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change. A significant bellwether to these increasing events is the insurance industry. The industry performs a calculus, which well documents the impacts of climate change, passing increasing coverage costs to their customers. There will come a time as this article highlights when portions of the industry won’t be able to survive on its own. Either the cost for certain coverages we easily obtain today will be too expensive or not be available.

As probably most consumers, I’ve even experienced this trend. A month ago Nationwide, canceled my coverage for a small commercial property in central Denver. From the non-renewal letter: “Your policy is being non-renewed based on our reduction of exposure in areas with concentrated catastrophic risk exposure.” Auto coverage has significantly increased due to similar reasons.

As discussed in this accompanying article in Meininger’s International, this of course strongly affects agriculture and grape-growing industries. Large investments are required to build and maintain these enterprises. Lack of insurance isn’t an option, though many insurance companies no longer provide wildfire coverage.

This trend isn’t going anywhere. I don’t have a magic answer, though there may come a time if we are not already there, when all of us must learn to accept a certain level of risk—on our own nickel. And many who question the veracity of anthropogenic climate change may finally change their mind…