Hurricane Laura

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The Louisiana Property and Casualty Insurance Commission is a panel created by statute and made up of members from various backgrounds representing government, consumers, and members of the insurance industry. The panel exists to suggest changes and improve the State’s insurance market. To that end, the Commission reviews and examines issues affecting the availability and affordability of property and casualty insurance and creates a report covering its findings. I was reviewing the most recent report, which covers 2019 and 2020, and I thought it was interesting just how much has changed since the last report was released.
Continue Reading Back-to-Back Years of Major Hurricanes Quickly Changed Louisiana’s Property Insurance Marketplace

August 27th marks the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Laura’s landfall in Southwest Louisiana, and besides bringing back a lot of painful memories, that means it will be the last day to bring a lawsuit against insurers for damages caused by that storm.
Continue Reading Alarm Bells Should Be Ringing For Anyone In Louisiana With An Unresolved Insurance Claim Stemming From Hurricane Laura

In what I think is the first trial from Hurricane Laura involving bad faith allegations against an insurer, Scottsdale Insurance Company took a shellacking. I have been patiently waiting for one of the numerous Hurricane Laura cases to make its way to verdict, but they have all settled – until last week. Scottsdale argued that it paid on time and even overpaid. It is evident that the jury did not agree.
Continue Reading Hurricane Laura Bad Faith Verdict Against Scottsdale Insurance

I was speaking with an attorney from Jefferson Parish in Louisiana about Hurricane Laura claims. He told me that the word that best fit insurance company payments for that storm is “putrid.” If that is the case, insurance companies that wrongfully delay payment of claims in Louisiana for greater than thirty days can be subject to an automatic penalty.
Continue Reading Insurance Companies Have 30 Days to Pay or Be Subject to Penalties in Louisiana

In response to many concerned Louisiana policyholders and advocates, the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) issued Bulletin 2021-03 to all authorized (admitted) and approved unauthorized (surplus lines) insurers who provide coverage for Louisiana policyholders’ damages as a result of the catastrophic events of 2020.1…
Continue Reading Louisiana Department of Insurance Issues a Good Faith and Fair Dealing Bulletin To Louisiana Insurers

In the many catastrophes in which we have educated and assisted policyholders in understanding their rights, obligations, and benefits under their policies, we have never seen or heard of insurer non-response like we have in Louisiana after Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
Continue Reading Louisiana Policyholders Have a Right to Obtain a Complete Copy of Their Policy

The impact of Hurricane Delta six weeks after, and within fifteen miles of the same path of Hurricane Laura’s landfall in Southwest Louisiana, has many policyholders questioning the application of the Louisiana Homeowners’ Hurricane, Named-Storms, and Wind and Hail Deductible Law.1 We have received many calls from policyholders and public adjusters regarding various interpretations of the law, particularly, the misconception that it allows insurers to apply only one deductible in a calendar year. In recent blogs we discussed the Law and its triggers. Today we want to help Louisiana policyholders understand the legislative intent and the correct application of deductibles in the event of more than one Hurricane, Named-Storm, or Wind and Hail loss impacting their covered property in the same calendar year.
Continue Reading Understanding and Applying the Louisiana Homeowners’ Hurricane, Named-Storms, and Wind & Hail Annual Deductible

In recent weeks we have been hosting seminars and community events in Lake Charles, Louisiana to educate policyholders of their potential rights and obligations under their insurance policies. Along with the concern that most insureds do not yet have a copy of their full policy—including all forms and endorsements—to guide them through the process, is that those insureds who do have copies of their policies may be misled by the standard terms and provisions of their policies.
Continue Reading Louisiana Catastrophe Related Deadlines Extensions: Filing Proof Of Loss and Replacement Cost Coverage

Most people in the internet age will copy portions of what I am about to write about. Beware of what you read, rely on, and what is said by “people in the know.” I have learned from the hurricane school of hard knocks experience since Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and “the song remains the same” for many hurricane loss scammers.
Continue Reading What to Do After Hurricane Laura—Dealing with My Independent or Catastrophe Adjuster

After a catastrophe such as Hurricane Laura, it is common that policyholders may not have a full copy of their insurance policy. Often the only policy document they may have in their possession is the Declaration Page showing a summary of the insurance benefits available to them. Though helpful, a full policy is necessary to inform the policyholders of their rights and duties under the insurance policy.
Continue Reading Hurricane Laura Recovery: Policyholder’s Duties After a Loss