Insurance Industry Hawaii

For insurers, Hurricane Iniki is but a breeze compared with the ferocious gales that ravaged South Florida last month. The storm that swept over Hawaii's northern islands Friday is not expected to cause much financial damage to an industry that is coping successfully with more than $7 billion in losses from Hurricane Andrew. State Farm Group, the leading underwriter of property insurance nationwide, has 1,350 homeowners' policies and 6,700 auto policies in force on Kauai, the hardest-hit island.

For insurers, Hurricane Iniki is but a breeze compared with the ferocious gales that ravaged South Florida last month. The storm that swept over Hawaii's northern islands Friday is not expected to cause much financial damage to an industry that is coping successfully with more than $7 billion in losses from Hurricane Andrew. State Farm Group, the leading underwriter of property insurance nationwide, has 1,350 homeowners' policies and 6,700 auto policies in force on Kauai, the hardest-hit island.

More than 20 years ago, when this young island-state set out to provide health insurance to all its 1.1 million citizens, lawmakers faced two tough alternatives. One was to simply expand Medicaid eligibility to the 17% of the population that had no coverage. But that, they feared, would require a hefty tax increase--and might lure additional planeloads of long-haired freeloaders from the Mainland.

More than 20 years ago, when this young island-state set out to provide health insurance to all its 1.1 million citizens, lawmakers faced two tough alternatives. One was to simply expand Medicaid eligibility to the 17% of the population that had no coverage. But that, they feared, would require a hefty tax increase--and might lure additional planeloads of long-haired freeloaders from the Mainland.