Storm Brews Over Adding Wind Coverage to Federal Flood Program

The Washington Post, 3/25/8

Industries fight government all the time, but not usually over which of them can run an actual business.

But that’s all changed when it comes to, of all things, wind.

Congress is seriously considering taking insurance coverage for wind damage away from private insurers. Lobbyists for the industry are battling to keep the business where it is.

The tug of war began in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed the homes of Rep. Gene Taylor (D) and some of his relatives and friends in Bay St. Louis, Miss. Taylor was and remains irate that he and others were compensated only for flood damage and not — until they sued — for the ravages of wind.