Understanding Household Preferences for Hurricane Risk Mitigation Information: Evidence from Survey Responses

Abstract

Risk information is critical to adopting mitigation measures, and seeking risk information is influenced by a variety of factors. An essential component of the recently adopted My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program by the State of Florida is to provide homeowners with pertinent risk information to facilitate hurricane risk mitigation activities. We develop an analytical framework to understand household preferences for hurricane risk mitigation information through allowing an intensive home inspection. An empirical analysis is used to identify major drivers of household preferences to receive personalized information regarding recommended hurricane risk mitigation measures. A variety of empirical specifications show that households with home insurance, prior experience with damages, and with a higher sense of vulnerability to be affected by hurricanes are more likely to allow inspection to seek information. However, households with more members living in the home and households who live in manufactured/mobile homes are less likely to allow inspection. While findings imply MSFH program's ability to link incentives offered by private and public agencies in promoting mitigation, households that face a disproportionately higher level of risk can get priority to make the program more effective.

The determinants of private flood mitigation measures in Germany — Evidence from a nationwide survey

“…In the light of these results it seems that physical flood mitigation measures and financial flood insurance policies are not seen as perfect substitutes, and indeed they partly cover different risks, as discussed before. Similar results (comparably high mitigation behaviour among insured households) are found in other studies for the German context (Thieken et al 2006) and in the USA for wind storm mitigation/insurance (Carson et al 2013;Chatterjee and Mozumder 2014;Petrolia et al 2013). …”

Willingness to Pay for Hurricane-Resistant Home Improvement Programs: a Choice Experiment in Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States

“…Earlier studies have focused on southern and Gulf coast states (e.g. Carson et al 2013;Petrolia et al 2015;Chatterjee and Mozumder 2014;Mozumder et al 2015). In contrast, we have focused on households living in Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.…”

Mobile Home Residents and Hurricane Vulnerability in South Florida: Research Gaps and Challenges

“…An important approach to risk mitigation is dissemination of risk information to vulnerable communities. A recent study of Florida household preferences for receiving hurricane risk mitigation information through an intensive home inspection found that households living in mobile homes are less likely to allow inspection of their homes (Chatterjee and Mozumder 2014). Although the reasons for this reluctance of mobile home residents to seek hazard risk information are not clearly understood (and may be related to any of the aforementioned factors or to something else), such disengagement is consistent with our experiences and perceived challenges in reaching out to the occupants of mobile home parks.…”