Louisiana Senator Pushes Storm Victims’ Insurance Reform Package

State Sen. Jeremy Stine, R-Lake Charles, District 27, promised to give storm victims a voice in Baton Rouge if he were elected in 2021.

He went into the legislative session with the intention of creating real reform, shedding light on the industry and protecting consumers, he said, particularly the customer experience of filing a claim and getting paid what they’re owed.

‘You know about all the delay tactics and adjustor swapping that went on after the hurricanes,’ Stine said. ‘My goal was to deter the bad actors.’

Senate Bill 208, which would increase bad-faith penalties paid by insurance companies from 50 percent to 100 percent, was particularly controversial.

In Louisiana, in addition to the loss of the value of the claim, the insurer may also be subject to a penalty of up to 50 percent of the amount owed to the insured. Increasing the bad-faith penalty could, perhaps, deter the bad actors.