Louisiana: Insurance Bills Moving from One House to the Other

Quite a few bills of interest to the Louisiana insurance industry are pending passage in their house of origin:

HB 177 clarifies that one- and two-family residences are exempt from certain provisions of the State Uniform Fire Prevention Code and will not be required to install sprinklers.
HB 765 requires a parish or municipality to comply with federal flood plain management and flood insurance programs.
HB 1312 increases the minimum limits for compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance from 10/10/20 to 25/25/50.
SB 17 requires applications with Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to disclose insurance carriers who denied coverage so that inability to obtain coverage in the private market can be verified.
SB 308 provides for a pre-trial hearing regarding the qualifications and admissibility of testimony of expert witnesses.

One bill that failed to pass its house of origin last week was SB 61, which would have required certain insurers that sell automobile insurance to a veteran or person serving in the military services to also provide homeowner's insurance.

And SB 160, which would allow for variable hurricane deductibles by region and was strongly lobbied for by the Coalition to Insurance Louisiana, has been assigned to the House Insurance Committee.

NAMIC will continue to work with other trade organizations, company representatives, and the Department of Insurance to watchdog the large volume of insurance-related legislation. “Insurers are fortunate in Louisiana that a strong coalition exists, not only among the industry, but with other business interests, as well. And open, reasonable communication with the Department of Insurance is another ingredient for the healthy, balanced marketplace that everyone is working toward there,” said Liz Reynolds, NAMIC Southeast state affairs manager.

Direct questions to NAMIC State Affairs Manager Liz Reynolds.

Posted: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 11:23:48 AM.

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We are 1,400 property/casualty insurance companies serving more than 135 million auto, home and business policyholders, with more than $196 billion in premiums accounting for 50 percent of the automobile/homeowners market and 31 percent of the business insurance market. We are the largest and most diverse property/casualty trade association in the country, with regional and local mutual insurance companies on main streets across America joining many of the country’s largest national insurers who also call NAMIC their home. More than 200,000 people are employed by NAMIC members.