SUGGESTED FUTURE PROJECTS
This purpose of this site is, and always will be, to promote research and find solutions in the field of natural disaster law. This page is purposed to further the research of this field by providing suggestions of research topics for further analysis and discussion. My colleagues and I have found these questions particularly interesting and believe they warrant research. Please feel free to use these research ideas to stimulate your own research and feel free to contact Professor Ken Klein at kklein@cwsl.edu if you would like to further discuss.
What Do Producers Say?
In the aftermath of an insured learning their coverage is inadequate, insureds often assert that oral promises were made by the carriers, and, of course, producers have no recollection of the conversation. This paper would legally record of conversations with producers to see what analyze what in producers do (will) and do not (will not) say or promise when an insured inquires about coverage.
What is Insurance?
Is insurance like a credit card – a relatively lightly regulated, necessity-like product? Is insurance like an electric company – a highly regulated, necessity-like product? Is insurance like a telephone/internet provider, a moderately regulated, necessity-like product? What is insurance, and does the answer matter?
How Does the Frequency and Severity of Natural Disasters Effect Insurance?
This is a hotly debated topic which screams out for more clarity.
Debris Removal:
After a disaster, cleaning up the mess is a surprisingly vexing problem. Is it a public or private responsibility? Does debris need special handling beyond just taking it to the dump? What if the scope of loss is inconsistent with the size of the dump? Should the government try to ameliorate the cost of disposal fees to avoid impediments to rebuilding, or is this a public fisc opportunity?
Inventory of Loss:
Following a total loss, quantifying and compensating loss of personal property creates moral hazard on both sides. For insureds it’s a temptation to over claim, and for insurers it can be a profit center.
Public Health:
With what frequency are neighborhoods decimated by disaster future health pods of concern, and if so then as a matter of public health what should be the response?
"Knowledge is like money: to be of value it must circulate, and in circulating it can increase in quantity and, hopefully, in value."
Louis L’Amour