NC Senate takes up hurricane insurance plan fix

RALEIGH -- The powerful head of the North Carolina Senate is turning his attention to the insurance woes of his neighbors now that the state budget is in hand. The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday takes up legislation fixing an underfunded coastal insurance program. The plan to beef up the Beach Plan includes tacking an extra charge on every property insurance policy in the state if there is a disastrous storm season. Senate leader Marc Basnight of Dare County says a version that passed the House would lock in big insurance increases that have hurt his conttiuents. Basnight said he pays $4,000 a year on his three-bedroom house, and three-quarters of that is for wind coverage. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)