In this episode, Matthew Grant is joined by Carrie Thomas, Account Director at Datos Insights, for a deeply personal look at what happens when insurance risk becomes a lived reality.

Having spent years working closely with insurers, Carrie brings a rare dual perspective, both as an industry insider and as a homeowner navigating one of the most challenging insurance markets in the world. After relocating from the Carolinas to Florida, she found herself caught in a system where cover is not only harder to access, but increasingly difficult to justify.

The conversation centres on her experience trying to secure homeowners and flood insurance in a state where carriers are withdrawing, pricing is volatile and eligibility rules create unexpected gaps. Despite not being in a designated flood zone, Carrie faced rising premiums, limited options and ultimately the decision to go without flood cover altogether.

Set against the backdrop of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, she shares what it is like to experience storm risk first-hand, from uncertainty around evacuation to the aftermath of storm surge and its impact on communities.

At the heart of the episode is a difficult but important question: when the cost of protection continues to rise, how do individuals, insurers and governments respond?

In this conversation, Carrie shares:

Why insurers are pulling back from markets like Florida and what that means for customers
How flood risk, eligibility and pricing can create unexpected protection gaps
What it feels like to navigate insurance decisions during active hurricane seasons
The trade-offs between state-backed cover and private market alternatives
Why insurance costs are becoming a key driver in relocation decisions
How catastrophe events are reshaping perceptions of risk at a household level
Why improved data does not automatically lead to more affordable insurance
How initiatives like Elevate Florida are attempting to adapt to increasing flood exposure
What insurers are focusing on as they balance claims pressure with long-term sustainability

Carrie’s recommendations:

Podcast: The Rest is History
Book: Millennium by Tom Holland

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