[pianogal]

Sounds like we're not the only ones facing the insurance crisis.....

A State Farm Insurance Co. executive says the company is no longer offering wind coverage for new customers in Mississippi's six southernmost counties and is reviewing whether to continue extending the coverage on renewals.

Because the base hurricane deductible is restricted to 2 percent in Mississippi, increasing the deductible was not an option as it has been in other states, said Robert L. Trippel, who oversees the Southern Zone as senior vice president of claims for State Farm.

"Our alternative is at this point to go in with a policy that's minus wind,'' Trippel said. "When and if we're able to make adjustments, we'll begin writing wind.''

Hurricane Katrina prompted the changes, Trippel said.

[sunrico90]

This can be a national issue....

Allstate Won't Write New Homeowners' Policies in NJ

The Allstate insurance company says it will no longer write homeowners policies in New Jersey, beginning February 5th.

Allstate will renew policies for existing Garden State customers, but won't take new business.

The state's second-largest home insurer is worried about huge payouts if a hurricane were to devastate the state. Allstate paid out nearly $6 billion in claims for Hurricane Katrina and other storms last year.
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Allstate Pulls Back from Insuring Coastal Homes

Listen to this story... by Nancy Solomon

Morning Edition, December 11, 2006 · Global warming is already beginning to hit the pocketbooks of coastal homeowners. Allstate Insurance has added New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware to a list of states where it will no longer accept new business. That list already includes Florida, and parts of New York, Louisiana, Mississippi and California.