Citizens Property Insurance board places $102.8 million settlement on the table

The board of directors from the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has offered a settlement worth $102.8 million to the 25,000 policyholders in the state, who have been arguing that the agency took too long in their claims adjustment process following 2005’s Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The offer was made following the board’s 12-0 vote at a public meeting, following a 2 and a half hour discussion that addressed the litigation. The settlement included an offer to pay $92.8 million to the 18,563 people who took part in the Geraldine…

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Louisiana insurance regulators recover more than $5 million after receiving thousands of complaints from consumers

The Louisiana Department of Insurance has announced that consumers will be eligible to receive more than $5 million in rebates from various insurance companies in the state. State regulators recovered the money after consumers filed an overwhelming number of complaints in 2011. Half of the money comes from complaints regarding life insurance and annuities benefits, while the other half comes from complaints regarding property/casualty insurers. The Department of Insurance has received approximately 3,453 complaints from consumers, down from 4,347 in 2010. Most of the complaints revolve around claims that insurers…

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Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance seeks to raise rates by 10.5% throughout the state

Homeowners in Louisiana may see their insurance rates jump as the state’s own Citizens Property Insurance company proposes new, higher rates. The state-run insurer, which accounts for more than 120,000 policies, is looking to raise rates throughout the state by an average of 10.5%. For some parts of the state – particularly those near the coast – these rates will be higher. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is currently reviewing the rate increase proposal to see if it is needed in the current market. The insurer claims that higher rates are…

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Research ranks auto insurance premiums by state and finds uninsured increase costs

An online survey conducted by Insure.com, has shown that drivers in Louisiana, Michigan, and Oklahoma pay highest premiums for auto insurance in the country. On the flip side, Vermont had the lowest car insurance rates, according to the same survey. The findings were based on the rates paid every year by single males who are 40 years old and who commute 12 miles every day to work. This profile would generate a rate of $995 in Vermont, but was much higher in some other states. For example, the same person…

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Louisiana Supreme Court reinstates suit against states Citizens Property Insurance group

The Louisiana Supreme Court has voted to reinstate a $92.8 million suit against the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. this week. The suit originated in early 2006 and claims that the state-run insurance organization was intentionally slow in adjusting insurance claims resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The 24th Judicial District Court had awarded some 18,000 homeowners with roughly $5,000 after hearing the case. The action, however, violated state law and put the suit on hold for some time. The ruling has found a staunch enemy in the state’s Insurance…

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