WASHINGTON-Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., has introduced legislation that would allow homeowners to buy multiperil insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program. Under Rep. Taylor's bill, which was introduced Tuesday, the NFIP-which now offers only flood insurance-would offer a policy covering wind damage as well.

"Apparently, the insurance industry no longer wants to cover people for wind damage in coastal America or will not provide that coverage at a cost that is reasonable," Rep. Taylor said in a statement announcing the introduction of the Multiple Peril Insurance Act.

"Throughout coastal America, property insurance companies have dramatically increased premiums on existing policies, canceled existing policies or have stopped writing new policies altogether for our nation's home and business owners," said Rep. Taylor, who has been critical of insurers' handing of claims following Hurricane Katrina and other storms.

The House passed an earlier version of the bill in 2007, but the Senate has been cool to the idea of expanding the NFIP to include windstorm coverage.

Adding wind cover to the NFIP is opposed by much of the property/casualty insurance industry.

For example, David A. Sampson, president of the Des Plaines, Ill.-based Property Casualty Insurers Assn. of America, responded with a statement that said "while this legislation is well-intentioned, it is both unnecessary and fraught with unintended negative consequences, and it ultimately will not help homeowners in need. Right now, we can best serve homeowners by reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program, and by educating insurance consumers about the options that already exist to protect their homes, their families and their financial security."

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