Should new flood insurance program include wind coverage?

Flood insurance is only available through the federal National Flood Insurance Program, and this program is scheduled to expire in March.

Now groups are lining up on both sides of the question of whether to include wind damage in the coverage. The Hurricane Katrina experience showed how difficult it can be to separate damage from moving water from that caused by wind.

U.S. Representative Gene Taylor of Mississippi has proposed the Multiple-Peril Insurance Act, which would expand the government's program to include wind damage. Taylor accused major insurers of ducking payment for damages from the hurricane by claiming that damage was due to flooding, which was not covered under their policies, rather than wind, which was.