The effect of subsidized flood insurance on real estate markets

Subsidized insurance against extreme weather events improves affordability among households in at-risk areas but it can weaken the risk signal via property prices. Leveraging a granular data set of all property transactions and flood events in England, we study the effects of a reinsurance scheme that lowers insurance premiums for at-risk properties. We document that the introduction of this scheme increases prices and transaction volumes of flood-prone properties. This fully offsets the negative direct effects of flooding on property prices, with high-income areas and high-value properties benefiting relatively more. Our findings speak to the debate on climate adaptation policies and their consequences for wealth distribution.