A small California town is better prepared for future floods thanks to the innovative research of three current and former MPA students at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
While working on a final paper for their Climate Change Policy class, Jeff Adams, Tracy Luther, and Evan Fall dove into the issue of flood insurance, identifying critical gaps in protection for vulnerable communities. Their research wasn’t just academic; it had a direct real-world impact.
The trio shared their research with Adams’ employer, ENGEO, an earth sciences consulting firm based in San Ramon, California. ENGEO worked with the City of Isleton, California, to secure community-wide parametric flood insurance, a type of insurance that pays out immediately when certain conditions are met.
“For a typical insurance policy, a policyholder files a loss claim, and once verified, the insurance company pays out a proceed. With parametric insurance, a proceed is paid once a threshold event, such as a pre-determined flood water depth, has been reached. As a result, parametric insurance proceeds are processed and paid faster and more efficiently compared to typical insurance,” Adams said.
Although parametric insurance is a newer model, it’s gaining attention as a vital tool for communities exposed to growing climate risks. For Isleton, which lies within a 100-year floodplain in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, this model could provide a lifeline.
ENGEO folded the O’Neill students’ policy recommendations into a larger advocacy effort. Together with other stakeholders, including reinsurance companies and local authorities, the recommendations played a role in securing a $200,000 grant from the California Department of Water Resources.
The funding supports a two-year pilot project in Isleton that can be used for immediate needs such as evacuation costs, food, temporary housing, or initial repairs—helping residents recover quickly after a disaster.
The Isleton project is now serving as a model for other communities in California. With flooding becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, there’s growing interest in expanding this type of community-based insurance to protect other high-risk areas.
For Adams, Luther, and Fall, the success is a powerful testament to the impact of leading for the greater good and the importance of translating research into action. Their innovative approach to flood insurance highlights the importance of adapting to new challenges and creating policy solutions that benefit and protect everyone—especially the most vulnerable. This project is a direct reflection of the impact O’Neill students can have when they apply their expertise to real-world challenges.
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