Louisiana Insurance Commissioner-elect Aims For Special Session

Louisiana is in the middle of an insurance crisis. The state is not just grappling to rebuild from non-stop natural disasters, its fighting insurance companies too. The very companies who exist to rebuild after these type of disasters, is taking their ball and going home. While Louisiana residents are left unable to rebuild theirs.

This insurance crisis has seen multiple insurance companies completely leave the state. Abruptly ending policies for homeowners, businesses, and communities. Not to mention the fact that these companies have fought against the very people who paid them for protection of their property in an effort to not pay out what they guaranteed.

And for the most part, the State of Louisiana has just watched them do it.

The state has watched them fight against its residents, deny justified claims, and take the money and run. Very little has been done to counteract this insurance crisis. But that might change soon.

Incoming Louisiana Insurance Commissioner, Tim Temple, has been working to come up with a plan to address the crisis. There's no guarantee that he will be able to help the state dig out of the mess we currently find ourselves in, but he's already laying the groundwork to try and get something done.

Long time Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon did not seek reelection this year, which opened the door for Temple to run. Years ago, Temple ran against Donelon for the position, but lost that race. This year, Temple found himself in a race with an opponent who withdrew in August, making Temple the winner.

Temple is calling for the State Legislature to convene a Special Session early next year. Wanting to get everyone to work on legislation soon after they are sworn in. During the last Special Session that was called to address the insurance crisis, the state put $45 million into a Insure Louisiana Incentive Fund. That fund is being credited with helping to create over 17,000 new policies.

Hopefully, any Special Session won't just feed taxpayer money into the insurance companies profit margins, but rather force companies to actually follow through on what they promise their customers.