Drowning in Denial
Behavioral Economics and Coastal Insurance Market: A Path to Resilience
Explains how hidden psychological biases drive Florida’s insurance crisis.
Reveals why underinsurance and market collapse are products of behavior, not just storms.
Blends behavioral economics, case studies, and 30 years of legislative experience.
· Offers principle-based solutions to build a more resilient, sustainable insurance system.
Drowning in Denial
Behavioral Economics and Coastal Insurance Markets: A Path to Resilience
Drowning in Denial takes readers inside Florida’s property insurance crisis, showing why the biggest threat is not just hurricanes—but the human behaviors that magnify their impact. Homeowners choose to forego essential coverage in order to save money on a daily basis, regulators resist taking action, and insurers collaborate in ways that lead to market instability.
Don D. Brown applies behavioral economics to explain how biases like loss aversion, optimism bias, and status quo inertia trap both consumers and policymakers. Real stories—like Maria Rodriguez, whose $3-a-day “savings” led to $47,000 in uncovered losses—bring the data to life.
The book traces Florida’s history of reactive reform and shows why 65% of attempts fail. At the same time, it offers a principle-based framework that addresses root causes instead of symptoms. Readers gain insight into why markets repeatedly lurch from calm to collapse and how reforms can succeed if they account for real human behavior.
Both a warning and a roadmap, Drowning in Denial is essential reading for anyone who wants to survive—and fix—what’s coming..
Benefits Of Book
Understand how cognitive biases like optimism and loss aversion shape insurance markets.
Learn why 40% of Florida’s coastal properties may soon be uninsurable.
Discover why 65% of past insurance reforms failed—and how to avoid repeating mistakes.
See how policy, consumer behavior, and market structure interact in real case studies.
Gain tools for principle-based reform that align with human behavior, not against it.
Equip yourself to recognize and break denial cycles before disaster strikes.
Selected Quotes from the Book
The $11 Decision
Would you pay $11 a day to avoid losing everything? That’s what comprehensive hurricane insurance actually costs. Yet most Floridians underinsure, gambling with their homes to save the price of a daily coffee. It’s not stupidity—it’s behavioral bias at work, and it costs billions when the storms come.
The Trap of Optimism
After every storm, surveys show that most homeowners believe they’ll fare better than their neighbors next time. This optimism bias leads them to buy less coverage and take fewer precautions. The result isn’t resilience—it’s collective vulnerability, repeated with each hurricane season.
Losses Hurt Twice as Much
When premiums rise 15%, outrage and cancellations spike. When premiums drop 15%, few reward insurers with loyalty. This loss aversion distorts markets, punishing companies that price risk accurately and encouraging political interventions that undermine long-term stability. The market isn’t rational—it’s emotional.
The Window of Rationality
Immediately after a hurricane, people buy coverage, strengthen homes, and accept higher premiums. Within a year, memories fade and denial returns. This ‘window of rationality’ shows why reforms must be timed carefully—before denial erases urgency and the cycle repeats.
Policy by Panic
Florida’s reforms too often follow disaster headlines rather than principles. Short-term fixes, passed in urgency, create unintended distortions that outlast the storms themselves. Principle-based reform is harder, but it’s the only path to stability in markets warped by behavioral bias.
The Path Beyond Denial
The storms will not stop. But market collapse is not inevitable. By acknowledging human behavior, designing reforms around it, and investing in resilience before the skies darken, Florida can lead coastal states toward a sustainable insurance future. The choice is between denial and survival.
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ABOUT DON
Author / Consultant / Speaker
Don D. Brown
Join me on a captivating journey as I share the essential insights and strategies I've uncovered while navigating the intricacies of legislation—all while firmly standing for what truly matters.
Don will go LIVE on Facebook and on TikTok and is a sought out host for Podcast and other appearances as well as speaking engagements and Book signings.
