Declarations

Robber baron
“We’re looking a robber baron in the face. State Farm is not a responsible corporate citizen.”

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood fighting a recent decision by State Farm Insurance Co. to stop writing new home and commercial property policies in the state. He called for the governor and lawmakers to keep insurers from leaving.

Untenable environment
“This is a remarkable response to a business decision. Today’s actions show just how unpredictable and untenable the current environment can be.”

Fraser Engerman of State Farm’s corporate media relations department, responding to Hood’s criticism and his proposal to keep insurers from quitting the state.

Friendly Citizens
“Hopefully it’s a precursor of a new attitude and a new way of doing things.”

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist after his Cabinet unanimously approved a proposed customer service plan for the state-run insurer that sells policies to people who can’t find private coverage. Citizens Property Insurance pledged to listen closely to its customers and have a new, more consumer-friendly way of doing business. Crist told the company last year to present the plan for dealing better with policyholders to the Cabinet. The plan outlines service improvements like having a turnaround time on written correspondence with customers of no more than five days.

Blood in Myrtle Beach
“It’s frightening. There’s going to be a lot of blood in the streets of Myrtle Beach if something doesn’t happen.”

Doug Wendel, chief executive of Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc., one of South Carolina’s coastal tourism leaders who urged Gov. Mark Sanford to make sure insurance is both available and affordable along the coast, the heart of the state’s $16 billion tourism industry. Wendel asked the governor to push for subsidies or expand the wind pool. Sanford suggested the state might allow property owners to put money away before taxes to pay for insurance.

Fault in Memphis
“The best safety tool we have is to be aware of what we can do to avoid harm and get to a place of safety.”

Memphis, Tenn. Mayor A. C. Wharton at a recent meeting on earthquake preparedness. Memphis is the largest city closest to the New Madrid Fault, a geological break line at the center of one of the most active earthquake zones in the United States.