Daniel Sutter

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Daniel Sutter

  • Mercatus Center Affiliated Senior Scholar
  • Professor of Economics, Troy University

Daniel Sutter is an affiliated senior scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and professor of economics at the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University.

A nationally recognized authority on the economics of weather, Dr. Sutter has published in top journals in both the social and natural sciences including Applied Economics, the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Public Choice, Economics and Wind, Weather and Forecasting, Natural Hazards Review, the American Journal of Economics and Sociology, and the Journal of Regulatory Economics. He has been awarded fellowships and grants by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his research.

 Dr. Sutter received his Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University.

Published Research

Gauging the Perception of Cronyism in the United States

Daniel J. Smith, Daniel Sutter | Oct 17, 2012
This paper surveys the research on cronyism and the available methods of measuring it—in particular, using surveys to measure the perception of cronyism. We also make suggestions for improving our measurements of cronyism.

Markets, the Firm, and the Economics Profession

Daniel Sutter | Nov 02, 2009
The mathematical and statistical complexity of economic research increased remarkably over the past century. While criticisms of the trend abound, the "wisdom of crowds" argument creates a…

Building a Safe Port in the Storm: Private vs. Public Choices in Hurricane Mitigation

Daniel Sutter | Aug 01, 2008
This Policy Comment analyzes the connection between hurricane mitigation and insurance. As many people fail to purchase government-subsidized flood and earthquake insurance, some researchers argue…

Local Knowledge

Bruce Yandle, Daniel M. Rothschild, Daniel Sutter, Frederic Sautet, Peter J. Boettke, Steven Horwitz, Tim Roemer, Veronique de Rugy, | Jul 29, 2008
This issue of Local Knowledge focuses on the role of entrepreneurs in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. In this issue you can read research articles that explain what entrepreneurship is; that…
More Published Research

Working Papers

Welfare Block Grants as a Guide for Medicaid Reform

Daniel Sutter | Mar 21, 2013
Driven by the need to reform unsustainable entitlement programs, policymakers today are looking to the successful example of welfare reform—specifically, to its block grants to states. To inform this discussion, a new Mercatus Center at George Mason University study by Daniel Sutter reviews arguments in the debate over block grants versus matching grants for joint federal-state programs, examines the effects of shifting control of welfare programs to the states, and considers how the lessons from welfare reform can inform the current debate about Medicaid block grants.

Policy Uncertainty and the Market for Wind Insurance

Daniel Sutter | Jun 2009
Critics have suggested that rising homeowners insurance costs in some areas since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina are due to market inefficiency or herding behavior by insurers This paper empirically tests…

Insurance and Societal Vulnerability to Hurricanes

Daniel Sutter | Apr 2008
In this paper, Professor Sutter analyzes the sources of growing hurricane vulnerability in U.S. Atlantic and Gulf counties since 1950. The analysis specifically focuses on policy interventions in…

The Market for Hurricane Mitigation: Regulatory or Market Failure?

Daniel Sutter | Apr 2008
In this paper, Professor Sutter explores how regulations designed to improve mitigation taken against catastrophes interact with decision making behavior among residents, and may actually reduce…
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Policy Briefs

Reversing a Rising Tide: Goals for Reforming the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association

Daniel Sutter | Apr 2009
Designed to be insurers of last resort, state residual markets are now the largest insurers in many coastal areas. One such organization, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), is one of…

Optional Federal Chartering of Insurers and Hurricane Risk

Daniel Sutter | Apr 2009
This Mercatus on Policy considers how Optional Federal Chartering (OFC) potentially affects hurricane insurance.

Mercatus on Policy: Ensuring Disaster

Daniel Sutter | Aug 2007
Professor Daniel Sutter examines the effect of state wind pools on insurance markets and discusses how policies could be improved without Federal involvement to better prepare states for disaster.

Testimony & Comments

Written Testimony on Reforming the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association

Daniel Sutter | Feb 24, 2009
This written testimony was delivered to the Texas House of Representatives Insurance Committee as part of the February 24, 2009 hearing on Texas Windstorm Insurance Assocation.

Media Clippings

Texas Windstorm Program Problems Remain After Reforms

Daniel Sutter