Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced she hadwritten key state lawmakers urging them to adopt a four-step planto help reduce the state's exposure to hurricane risk.

The letter was sent to Rep. Pat Patterson, R-Deland, chairman ofthe Insurance, Business and Financial Affairs Committee, and Sen.Garrett Richter, R-Naples, chairman of the Banking and InsuranceCommittee.

Steps she called for included:

o Reducing the risk of property damage by continuing the My SafeFlorida Home program, which provides grants to property owners toget inspections to learn how to strengthen their homes againststorms. Ms. Sink said this could be done by rolling over theestimated $20 million remaining in the program.

o Reducing uncertainty bonding ability by lowering the exposureof the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund by gradually phasing outan optional upper layer of coverage for insurers called TemporaryIncrease in Coverage Limit. She warned that just one major stormevent could mean Floridians will have to pay assessments for up to30 years.

o Establishing Florida's reinsurance program in the fall, notthe spring. Ms. Sink suggested the legislature empower "another[unnamed] entity" with the ability to set coverage levels in theCat Fund in the fall, taking advantage of the broader range ofpossible markets.

o Gradually returning the state-backed Citizens PropertyInsurance Corp. to its role as "Insurer of Last Resort." Ms. Sinksaid with Florida's homeowners subsidizing Citizens and theiractuarially unsound rates, she would encourage the Legislature toseriously consider the recommendations of the Citizens Task Force.Specifically she mentioned implementing actuarially sound rates inincrements and banning development in designated areas to beinsured by Citizens.

"There are responsible, gradual changes the Legislature can makethat will begin reducing our hurricane risk exposure and willbetter protect Florida's homeowners," said CFO Sink, "It's time tostart making smart decisions and enacting solutions, so thatFlorida will be less financially exposed when a major stormhits."

Ms. Sink said she is advocating gradual steps, "recognizing thatFlorida property owners cannot afford to bear large, one-timeshocks to their homeowners insurance rates, similar to thoseexperienced in 2006."

Ms. Sink, an elected Democrat, said, "We must establish along-term, strategic vision for addressing hurricane risk. I hopeto work with my colleagues on the Cabinet and members of theLegislature in a constructive and bipartisan way to make some ofthese changes in the coming months."

Unless the state charts a long term strategic vision forhurricane risk Florida "will be overexposed and Floridians will beforced to pay the price in the event of a major storm," shewarned.