Home and auto insurers in Louisiana can now raise rates prior to approval by state regulators, thanks to a quartet of new laws designed to address the state’s ongoing insurance crisis. The bills also allow home insurers to drop up to 5% of their homeowners insurance policies in the state every year.
Proponents of the legislation, including Tim Temple, state insurance commissioner, say the rule changes will bolster Louisiana’s struggling insurance market by making it easier for insurers to do business in the state. Critics say the laws remove important consumer protections and could worsen the state’s insurance crisis.
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm{@F:D:2?2’D :?DFC2?46 4C:D:Dk^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw@>6@H?6CD :? {@F:D:2?2 7246 E96 D64@?5\9:896DE AC@A6CEJ :?DFC2?46 C2E6D :? E96 4@F?ECJ]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm%96 2G6C286 2??F2= 4@DE @7 9@>6@H?6CD :?DFC2?46 :? E96 !6=:42? $E2E6 :D Se[bdc[ 244@C5:?8 E@k^DA2?m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^:?DFC:7J]4@>^9@>6@H?6CD\:?DFC2?46^C6A@CE^9@>6\:?DFC2?46\AC:46\AC@;64E:@?D^QmkDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W`f[ gd[ a_cXQmx?DFC:7J 52E2k^DA2?mk^DEC@?8mk^2mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm] {@F:D:2?2 H:== 2=D@ D66 E96 9:896DE C2E6 :?4C62D6D @7 2?J DE2E6 :? a_ac[ x?DFC:7J 2?2=JDED AC65:4E] p AC@;64E65 abT C:D6 H:== 3C:?8 {@F:D:2?2’D 2G6C286 9@>6 :?DFC2?46 4@DE E@ Sf[g_h A6C J62C]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmpD :? @E96C 4@2DE2= DE2E6D[ 4=:>2E6 492?86 2?5 >2DD:G6 :?DFC6C =@DD6D 5F6 E@ DE@C> 52>286 2C6 >2;@C 4@?EC:3FE@CD E@ {@F:D:2?2’D :?DFC2?46 4C:D:D] x? E96 A2DE 76H J62CD[ >F=E:A=6 9@>6@H?6CD :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D 92G6 6:E96C 8@?6 :?D@=G6?E @C DE@AA65 D6==:?8 A@=:4:6D :? {@F:D:2?2]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm%96 D9C:?<:?8 A@@= @7 9@>6 :?DFC6CD 5:G6CE65 E9@FD2?5D @7 9@>6@H?6CD E@ {@F:D:2?2 r:E:K6?D[ E96 DE2E6’D :?DFC6C @7 =2DE C6D@CE] pD 2 C6DF=E[ r:E:K6?D C6BF6DE65 — 2?5 C646:G65 2AAC@G2= 7@C — 2 ebT C2E6 :?4C62D6 :? a_ab]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx?DFC2?46 C67@C> 3:==Dk^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx? 62C=J |2J[ {@F:D:2?2 v@G] y677 {2?5CJ D:8?65 :?E@ =2H 7@FC 3:==D E92E %6>A=6 42==65 “2 >2;@C DE6A E@H2C5 C67@C>:?8 {@F:D:2?2’D :?DFC2?46 >2C<6E]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kF=mk=:mkAmkDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm$q ahdk^DA2?mk^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm2AA=:6D E@ 2== =:?6D @7 AC@A6CEJ 2?5 42DF2=EJ :?DFC2?46[ :?4=F5:?8 9@>6@H?6CD 2?5 2FE@] %96 =2H AC6D6CG6D E96 C6BF:C6>6?E E92E 2== :?DFC6CD 7:=6 56E2:=65 2AA=:42E:@?D H:E9 E96 DE2E6’D :?DFC2?46 @77:46 7@C C2E6 492?86D — 2 AC24E:46 2=D@ 24E:G6 :? >2?J @E96C DE2E6D] qFE E96 =2H ?@H 2FE@>2E:42==J 2DDF>6D E96 DE2E6 2AAC@G6D 2== C2E6 492?86D] #68F=2E@CD H:== 92G6 b_ 52JD E@ C6G:6H E96 2AA=:42E:@?D 2?5 ?@E:7J :?DFC6CD :7 E96 DE2E6 5@6D?’E 2AAC@G6 E96 492?86] x7 %6>A=6 564:56D E96 >2C<6E 92D :>AC@G65[ E96 C6G:6H A6C:@5 6IE6?5D E@ e_ 52JD]k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmwq e``k^DA2?mk^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmC6A62=D 2 =2H F?:BF6 E@ {@F:D:2?2 E92E AC@9:3:E65 9@>6 :?DFC6CD 7C@> ?@?\C6?6H:?8 A@=:4:6D :? 67764E 7@C E9C66 J62CD @C =@?86C] t7764E:G6 pF8] `[ a_ac[ :?DFC6CD 42? 2D< E96 :?DFC2?46 4@>>:DD:@?6C 7@C A6C>:DD:@? E@ ?@?\C6?6H FA E@ dT @7 A@=:4:6D 2??F2==J 7@C 2?J C62D@?[ 2=E9@F89 E96J 42?’E 2== 36 :? E96 D2>6 A2C:D9] x?DFC6CD 42? 2=D@ 2D< E96 4@>>:DD:@?6C E@ 2AAC@G6 ?@?\C6?6H2= @7 >@C6 E92? dT @7 :ED A@=:4:6D]k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm$q babk^DA2?mk^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm=@H6CD A6?2=E:6D 282:?DE :?DFC6CD E92E 72:= E@ C6D@=G6 AC@A6CEJ 2?5 42DF2=EJ 4=2:>D H:E9:? b_ 52JD @7 E96 4=2:> 7:=:?8] !C6G:@FD=J[ A@=:4J9@=56CD 4@F=5 4@==64E A6?2=E:6D @7 FA E@ a__T @7 E96:C =@DD :7 2 4@FCE 564:565 E96:C :?DFC6C 24E65 :? 325 72:E9 2?5 2G@:565 A2J:?8 2 ;FDE:7:65 4=2:>] }@H[ E96 >@DE 2 4=2:>2?E 42? 4@==64E :D Sd[___ @C d_T @7 E96:C 52>286D[ H9:496G6C 2>@F?E :D 8C62E6C]k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmu:?2==J[k^DA2?m kDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmwq `a_k^DA2?mk^DEC@?8m kDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm6IE6?5D E96 {@F:D:2?2 u@CE:7J w@>6D !C@8C2>[ H9:49 AC@G:56D 8C2?ED @7 FA E@ S`_[___ 7@C BF2=:7J:?8 9@>6@H?6CD E@ :>AC@G6 E96:C C@@7D E@ x?DFC2?46 x?DE:EFE6 7@C qFD:?6DD U2>Aj w@>6 $276EJ DE2?52C5D]k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk^F=m
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm(92E’D ?6IEn %96 >2C<6E H2:EDk^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm{2?5CJ 2?5 %6>A=6 D2J >2<:?8 :E 62D:6C 7@C :?DFC6CD E@ @A6C2E6 :? {@F:D:2?2 H:== 6?E:46 >@C6 4@>A2?:6D E@ 5@ 3FD:?6DD :? E96 DE2E6 2?5 4@>A6E:E:@? 2>@?8 :?DFC6CD H:== =625 E@ =@H6C AC:46D 7@C A@=:4J9@=56CD]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm“~FC 9@A6 :D E92E E9:D A24<286 @7 3:==D H:== DE2CE E@ 4C62E6 >@C6 32=2?46 :? E96 =2H 2?5 :? E96 >2C<6E DF49 E92E H6 42? 5C:G6 E96 4@DE @7 AC@A6CEJ :?DFC2?46 5@H? D@ :E’D >@C6 277@C523=6 7@C @FC 4:E:K6?D[” {2?5CJ D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E 2??@F?4:?8 E96 3:==D’ 6?24E>6?E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm“x E9:?< E9:D A24<286 @7 3:==D >2<6D FD 4@>A6E:E:G6 H:E9 @E96C DE2E6D[” D2:5 $6?] z:C< %2=3@E[ 492:C>2? @7 E96 $6?2E6 x?DFC2?46 r@>>:EE66] “%92E H:== EFC? :?E@ 2G2:=23:=:EJ[ H9:49 D9@F=5 EFC? :?E@ 277@C523:=:EJ]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmqFE @AA@?6?ED @7 E96 3:==D D2J E96J’C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ >2<6 >2EE6CD H@CD6 7@C {@F:D:2?2 C6D:56?ED]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw@FD:?8 {@F:D:2?2 42==65 E96 3:==D “2 H:? 7@C :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D ,E92E. 5@6D ?@E9:?8 E@ 8F2C2?E66 96=A 7@C E96 A6@A=6 @7 {@F:D:2?2 DF776C:?8 E9C@F89 E9:D :?DFC2?46 4C:D:D[” pqr 277:=:2E6 z%q$ C6A@CE65] “xE H:== :?4C62D6 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?J AC@7:ED 3J A6C>:EE:?8 E96> E@ 5C@A =@?8E:>6 A@=:4J9@=56CD[ C2:D6 C2E6D H:E9@FE ?66565 C6G:6HD[ 2?5 =:>:E =2HDF:ED H96? :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D 3C62< E96 =2H]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx? 2? pAC:= =6EE6C[ 4@?DF>6C H2E495@8 8C@FA r@?DF>6C u656C2E:@? @7 p>6C:42 WrupX FC865 E96 {68:D=2EFC6 E@ C6;64E E96 C6A62= @7 E96 E9C66\J62C CF=6] rup D2:5 :?DFC6CD 2C6 5@H?A=2J:?8 E96 C@=6 @7 4=:>2E6 492?86 2?5 “D<JC@4<6E:?8” C6:?DFC2?46 4@DED :? E96 :?DFC2?46 4C:D:D H9:=6 “6I2886C2E:?8 E96 67764ED @7 E96 E9C66\J62C CF=6]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmwq e`` H:== 2==@H :?DFC6CD E@ AFC86 E9@FD2?5D @7 A@=:4:6D 7C@> E96:C 3@@<D @7 3FD:?6DD[ 7@C4:?8 >2?J >@C6 9@>6@H?6CD E@ EFC? E@ r:E:K6?D @C 8@ H:E9@FE 4@G6C286[ rup D2:5] %96 >2?J :DDF6D 5C:G:?8 {@F:D:2?2’D 9@>6 :?DFC2?46 4C:D:D “D9@F=5 36 255C6DD65[” E96 @C82?:K2E:@? D2:5] “qFE E2<:?8 2H2J @?6 @7 E96 76H 6I:DE:?8 4@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@?D 7C@> 9@>6@H?6CD H:== ?@E D@=G6 E96D6 AC@3=6>D] xE H:== @?=J >2<6 E9:?8D H@CD6]”k^DA2?mk^Am