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Wind Pool situation 'driving force' for market throughout state.

Article Excerpt
A recent posting to the The Sun Herald column "Sound Off" stated: "Finally got the floor plans approved to rebuild the house. Had to get three different insurances, one for flood ($500 a year), one for homeowner's ($1.400 a year) and one to cover wind and hail (because my location is south of Interstate 10, $5400 a year). How can I afford to build a house now with those insurance costs? How can anyone afford these insurance costs, especially on fixed incomes? Is it any wonder that there isn't more building going on?"

Insurance quotes like those can throw a spanner into the works for people rebuilding on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With no major companies writing new wind and hail coverage in the three coastal counties, and some companies not renewing wind and hail coverage on premium anniversary dates, people rebuilding or buying a new home or business have the expensive state Wind Pool as the only option.

Lee Harrell, deputy insurance commissioner for the Mississippi Department of Insurance, said while some carriers are looking at risks individually when considering writing wind coverage, those are becoming fewer and fewer as time progresses.

"I hope if we find some ways to solve...