VENICE — Rising homeowners insurance continued to be a dominant theme in the race for governor Wednesday, with Democrat Jim Davis and Republican Charlie Crist each trying to assure voters that they will do a better job at lowering rates.

Davis, in a conference call with reporters, said the question of "how we lower homeowners insurance" is one of the most critical questions of the election.

The Tampa-area congressman said that if he wins Tuesday's election he will push to overhaul windstorm insurance, reduce premiums and increase competition.

Under Davis' proposal, Florida's Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, which sells below-market reinsurance to insurance companies, would be transformed into the Hurricane Premium Protection Fund, which would collect the bulk of premiums from policyholders statewide and be responsible for the bulk of each claim, between 70 percent and 90 percent. Private insurers would be responsible for writing all policies, processing all claims and absorbing the 10 percent to 30 percent of potential losses that the state fund would not cover.

Because the state would take over the bulk of windstorm insurance for all homes in the state, Davis' plan would phase out Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which now insures property owners who cannot get windstorm anywhere else.

Davis also criticized Crist for taking "$5 million from insurance companies" in campaign contributions. He questioned whether Crist, Florida's attorney general, would be able to oppose companies from which he takes money.

Speaking to seniors in Kings Point near Ruskin, Crist said, "Nobody will fight harder to lower insurance rates.

"I'll lower them in a responsible way that is not risky," he said, using a word he has used to describe Davis' plan.

Everywhere Crist went Wednesday, he was asked about lowering insurance rates.

At Bella Luna Cafe in Venice, Dean Cochran said he just got a 200 percent rate hike from State Farm for his homeowners insurance.

"Insurance, what are you going to do about it?" Cochran asked Crist.

Sitting at a small corner table near the cafe's front windows, Crist said he will demand accountability from insurance companies and stop them from "cherry-picking" business by selling automobile insurance in Florida but not property insurance.

And Crist said he would work to improve the reinsurance market to help property insurers offer Floridians lower rates.

Fred Terranova, 64, a Democrat who moved to Florida last year from Newark, N.J., said that for him and his neighbors, "insurance is the biggest issue."

"I don't care if it's a Democrat or a Republican as long as somebody does something about insurance," Terranova said, adding that he is likely to vote for Crist.

Crist was a no-sale for one woman who stood up from her table and walked out as Crist drew near. "I'm sorry," Jenny Olsen said. "I'm very sorry, but I can't vote for you. I can't do it. I'm a Democrat."

"Well, that's OK," Crist said.

Crist and Davis spent part of Wednesday raising money for the final days of the campaign.

Crist made it clear that he still has no intention of accepting campaign contributions from FPL, which had been prepared to spend $1 million to defeat him before finally offering to help Crist. The energy company also had contributed $250,000 to Crist's primary rival, Republican Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher.

Asked about his continuing refusal to accept cash from FPL, Crist said, "They tried to take me out, and I don't need their damn money."

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{mos_sb_discuss:13} Life in Paradise or not

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