States Urge Judge to Reject Dismissal Motion in Flood Insurance Lawsuit

Florida and other states are trying to fend off an attempt by the Biden administration to end a lawsuit challenging changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners.

Attorneys for 10 states and local government agencies in Louisiana filed a 44-page document Tuesday urging a federal judge to reject arguments that they lack legal standing to challenge the changes, which became fully effective April 1 after being phased in. U.S. Department of Justice lawyers filed a motion last month to dismiss the case.

Tuesday’s document pointed to ‘crippling effects’ of changes in the program, which is the dominant provider of flood insurance in the country.

‘Plaintiffs do not dispute that, under the legacy rating system (previous system), many individuals experienced slight annual increases as permitted under (a federal law),’ said the document, submitted by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and joined by the other plaintiffs. ‘But policyholders have never seen rate increases like the ones they are seeing’ under the changes.