Rising Homeowners Insurance Costs Hit NC Amid Climate Concerns
A climate adaptation expert says rising homeowners insurance costs tied to weather disasters are deepening North Carolina’s housing affordability crisis — and she has ideas on how to fix it.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Rising homeowners insurance premiums linked to climate-driven weather disasters are adding pressure to North Carolina’s already strained housing affordability crisis, according to a climate adaptation expert with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Expert Weighs In on a Growing Crisis
Dr. Hope Thompson, a climate adaptation policy specialist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), spoke recently with NC Newsline about the connection between climate change, increasing weather disasters, and the fast-rising cost of homeowners insurance across the state and nation.
Thompson’s expertise spans comprehensive risk management and equitable disaster resilience. She told NC Newsline that the surge in insurance costs is one of the most immediate and financially damaging consequences of a warming climate for everyday homeowners.
Regulatory Solutions on the Table
According to NC Newsline’s interview with Thompson, several practical and affordable regulatory measures could help address the problem. She said these steps are designed to make buildings more resilient to weather disasters while also helping ensure that homeowners insurance remains available and affordable going forward.
Thompson outlined her views in further detail in a commentary published by NC Newsline on June 3, 2026, titled “Navigating North Carolina’s Home Insurance Affordability Crisis.” The piece expands on the policy approaches she believes state officials and regulators could pursue.
A Statewide Affordability Problem
The rising cost of homeowners insurance has become a significant factor in the broader housing affordability challenges facing communities across North Carolina. As insurers respond to mounting losses from increasingly severe storms and other climate-related events, premiums have climbed sharply, placing additional financial strain on homeowners throughout the state.
The NRDC, a national environmental advocacy and research organization, has been tracking the intersection of climate risk and insurance market instability. Thompson’s work focuses on how policymakers can better prepare communities for climate impacts while protecting residents from financial hardship.
The full audio interview with Dr. Thompson is available through NC Newsline’s website.
