The state earned the dismal rating – the lowest possible – after a national study compared the insurance environments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only four other states fared as bad.

Fla. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, and Fla. Rep. Don Brown, R-DeFuniak Springs, fittingly unveiled the report card midday on Monday in Tallahassee while Florida senators grilled insurance executives in another wing of the capitol complex.

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Allstate had not immediate reaction but is expected to go to court to try and overturn this ban.

The suspension affects only new policies by the state’s second-largest auto insurance group, including Encompass and Allstate Floridian. Those with current home and auto policies are not affected. Neither are renewals of existing policies. Allstate has 2 million customers in Florida.

The order is in retaliation for Allstate’s refusal to turn over records subpoenaed by McCarty’s Office of Insurance Regulation. The investigation began as an inquiry into whether Allstate and other insurers conspired to pump up hurricane rates in Florida despite legislation intended to bring homeowners relief.

McCarty also wants Allstate to turn over what’s called the McKinsey Report, a consultant’s report from 1992 that suggested Allstate use a computer system called Colossus to generate auto injury claims payments based not on losses but on profit goals.

To date, Allstate has refused to release the records, including to a Missouri judge who has imposed a $25,000-a-day fine against the company.

It is about time that someone in Florida Government took steps to stop the insurance companies improper actions against Florida residents. Keep up the good work Mr. McCarty.

About Mr. McCarty: Three years into his tenure as Florida’s first appointed insurance commissioner, Kevin McCarty has cemented his reputation as an innovator utilizing technology to improve the regulatory process, as a fierce defender of seniors and historically discriminated minorities, and as a national leader who is forging a coalition to implement a national catastrophe strategy.

Posey is faced with what he calls a “seemingly impossible” situation. Property insurance, if it’s available at all, is nearly unaffordable for many home and business owners.

“I don’t look forward to this,” he admits. “But you do the best you can.” Not necessarily confidence inspiring words if I have to say so myself.

Posey says he knows the property insurance problem will be contentious.

“There will be a lot of people screaming before this is over, and I’ll need a bodyguard.”

Do it right Mr. Posey and you will have millions of Florida homeowners willing to protect you.

Did you know that while the state subsidiaries of national companies continue to cry poor in public. They hope consumers don’t find out the Insurance Information Institute says nationwide, property-casualty insurance companies last year earned a record $48.8 billion.

Did you know that at the same time Republican candidate for governor Charlie Crist attacks insurance companies in public, he’s accepting checks from them — $763,507 worth by Oct. 6 alone.

In contrast, Davis has taken $74,450.

Why have the insurance companies given Crist more money than any other candidate in the Nov. 7 election?

And why have they given Republican CFO candidate Tom Lee the second-largest amount, at $364,000?

The Republican Party got $4.5 million from the insurance lobby by the end of August; the Democrats, $860,897.

If the lowering of your insurance rates and increasing your coverage and service are important to you then consider the following:

For governor, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa, because he has a well thought out, consumer-friendly insurance plan that would demand premium cuts, and the mettle to make it happen.

And for Chief Financial Officer, a position with a major influence on insurance, Democrat Alex Sink. She has spent 26 years in banking, seven as head of Bank of America-Florida, and offers solid proposals to stand up for the public.

If you are considering a mortgage refinance, consider one of the many available networks that shop your loan for the best offers. You will save costs and will have a great new mortgage that will save your money over the long haul. Give it at try.

Look for the project this upcoming October 26th – 29th, Thursday through Sunday, in the many Florida Gannett newspapers and media outlets. Some of these papers include the Tallahassee Democrat, Florida Today in Brevard County, The News-Press in Fort Myers, the Pensacola News-Journal, and more.

An overview of what is happening in Florida and implications for other hurricane-prone states is planned by USA Today, and pieces of the project will also appear on Gannett television stations in Tampa and Jacksonville.

Chats, forums, polls and poll results, video, audio and other Web-specific content will appear on our Internet sites, including Tallahassee.com, beginning Thursday.

It should make for an interesting read and we will post a link to it once it is available online.