It's not just on conservative politics that two of Florida's top
elected Republicans disagree.
Attorney General Bill McCollum, unhappy with Gov. Charlie Crist's
attack on the insurance industry, bemoans what that policy is doing to
the industry, and his company in particular, USAA.
The insurance exchange -- which covers members of the military and
their families -- announced it is trimming its exposure in Florida some
10 percent, by no longer insuring secondary residences. McCollum, a
retired Navy JAG commander, is among USAA's 280,000 policyholders.
"They're one of the most conservative of our insurers. What does that
tell us?" McCollum asked Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty at
Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. "I'm deeply concerned."
USAA blasts actions by Crist and the Legislature, requiring insurers
to reduce their rates as well as unleashing Citizens Property Insurance
to compete with the private market.
Crist shared some of McCollum's concern that USAA is retrenching, but
in the next breath, added, "thank God we have competition."