by Steve Alexander
Published: Wed, November 12, 2008 - 10:10 pm CST
Last Updated: Wed, November 12, 2008 - 10:35 pm CST
Need help paying your homeowners insurance?The state of Alabama may be riding to the rescue.
Governor Bob Riley's new insurance commissioner said the governor is looking at ways to help property owners with high premiums and lost coverage.
Jim Ridling said that may include state assistance.
Ridling attended a public meeting in Theodore Tuesday to hear people's concerns.
Ridling said, "There has to be, in my opinion, some sort of subsidy."
Darleen Hudson of Theodore said she has watched her homeowners insurance rates go up 33 percent since Hurricane Katrina.
Hudson said, "The insurance was around $1800 a year and then its gone up to $2400 dollars a year. Now, we still have wind coverage which a lot of the people do not, but it's a possibility that we may lose wind coverage come next year."
State Senator Trip Pittman of Daphne said it may not be easy to get lawmakers from around the state to support a plan that only helps Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
What's more, Pittman said insurance companies are very politically powerful in Alabama.
Pittman said, "We were able to get a couple of bills through last year when Senator Ben Brooks and Senator Rusty Glover and myself basically threatened to shut the Senate down when it got down to the last few days. We're prepared again this year, if we don't get the bills that we're trying to get through addressed, to stand up and try to get the Senate to address them or else we're going to slow things down again."
The Alabama State Legislature is scheduled to go back in session in February.
Power To The People
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