Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty tried to lobbyCongress today for federal supports for an $18.5 billion shortfallin the state's Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and was hit withcriticism from a conservative think tank.

Christian C?mara, Florida office director for the CompetitiveEnterprise Institute, in a statement from the group said, "Relianceon a Federal bailout as official state policy is reckless at best.Instead of lobbying Washington politicians for money, CommissionerMcCarty and Governor Charlie Crist should return to Tallahassee andwork together with the legislature to restore a healthy,competitive insurance environment to ensure that Florida is able toweather the aftermath of a storm.

"Taxpayers should not be forced to bailout neither Florida northe politicians that have placed the state one storm away fromeconomic meltdown."

Edward Domansky, a spokesman for Commissioner McCarty said hehad planned to meet with Florida Democratic Representatives RonKlein and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, but due to President Obama'strip to Ft. Myers, neither was able to personally meet withhim.

The commissioner, he said did meet with Rep. Klein's chief ofstaff and legislative director; and he met with Rep. WassermanSchultz's chief of staff, legislative director and deputylegislative director as well as Cori Stevens from Gov. Crist's D.C.office.

"Commissioner McCarty is in Washington proposing that Florida beconsidered for a federal line of credit, for which the state wouldpay a premium and would recoup any advances through bonding andstatutory assessments within Florida.

"The commissioner is not proposing a bailout or asking for ablank check, and any suggestion to the contrary is untrue.

"The line of credit would be triggered only in the extremelyunlikely event that a storm exceeding the claims paying ability ofthe Cat Fund were to hit Florida and the credit markets were stillin disruption," he responded by e-mail

Jack Nicholson, chief operating officer for the state fund, saidyesterday, the fund under legislation approved last year isrequired to provide $29 billion in reinsurance to primary insurers,but it may not be able to meet that obligation under today's bondmarket conditions.

While FHCF has adequate cash on hand to pay current claims andhas AA minus ratings from several rating firms its inability toprovide the full guaranteed backup for insurers that rely on itcould mean that some carriers would lose their ratings and cease tofunction, according to officials.

Mr. McCarty's lobbying effort was termed a "really, really badidea" by CEI Senior Fellow Eli Lehrer who directs' the group'sWashington-based Insurance Project.

"We've already done far too many bailouts of private companies.State governments - particularly ones that make bad decisions -don't need bailouts as well. Congress should say 'No' to KevinMcCarty," said Mr. Lehrer.

CEI describes itself as a non-profit, non-partisan public policygroup dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limitedgovernment.