Xuesong (Song) You

I am an economist with research interests in climate risk, insurance, and household finance. I hold a Ph.D. in Risk Management and Insurance.

My work experience includes roles such as a Research Fellow at Insurance for Good, a Climate Research Economist at Freddie Mac, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, University of Pennsylvania.

The views expressed on this site are solely my own.

NEWS - 2025

November 2025

In our new blog post, "Do California Insurers Reward Wildfire Resilience?" Carolyn Kousky and I explore California's mitigation discounts — how they work, what they mean for homeowners, and why rewarding risk reduction is key to building more resilient communities.

October 2025

Listen to my UCLA Anderson Forecast Podcast episode, where I discuss my recent paper, "Wildfire Insurance Availability as a Risk Signal: Evidence from Home Loan Applications."

August 2025

My paper, co-authored with Carolyn Kousky, "Improving Household and Community Disaster Recovery: Evidence on the Role of Insurance," received the 2025 Robert C. Witt Award from the American Risk and Insurance Association!

2024

December 2024

My paper, co-authored with Carolyn Kousky, "The Role of Insurers in Driving Post-Hurricane Risk Reduction Investments," is now published at npj Natural Hazards!

Using a unique survey of survivors impacted by one of four U.S. hurricanes, we investigate household decisions to invest in risk mitigation measures during rebuilding. We find that insurers play a key role in this process by providing both information and financial incentives.

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