Rep. Ron Klein has reintroduced a bill he says could make it easier -- and cheaper -- for Floridians to get windstorm insurance.
The bill allows states that choose to participate in a national catastrophe insurance pool to spread the risk of natural disasters "in order to bring down costs for everyone," his office says.
“Whether it is a hurricane in Florida, an earthquake in California, a wildfire in Arizona or a tornado in Kansas, there is no reason why we can’t spread the risk across states and natural disasters in order to bring down prices for homeowners,” Klein said.
He said the bill has bi-partisan support and more than 40 co-sponsors from 21 states. A similar bill cleared the House during the last Congress, but the White House opposed it. Klein called passage this time "extremely favorable," noting that President Barack Obama, co-sponsored the legislation as a senator two years ago.
Critics, though, say the bill is unneccessary and that the federal government shouldn't be shoring up beachfront homeowners.
The legislation can be worded to avoid those stupid enough to build so close to the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Posted by: Paul D. Harvill | May 23, 2009 at 05:48 PM