Former Louisiana Legislator Joins PCI

Former Louisiana state representative Charles McMains, Jr. joined Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) as local counsel. According to PCI, Louisiana insurance companies and consumers now have an experienced and influential advocate in the state capitol.

“Charles will be a strong advocate for a balance of fair and effective regulation with open competition on price, coverage and service, and will support initiatives that help companies better predict the cost of future losses and help consumers stabilize their insurance premiums,” Greg LaCost, regional manager and counsel for PCI, said. “He also will be a proponent of safety and loss control initiatives, improved building codes, and measures that will enhance driving safety such as graduated drivers licensing for teen drivers and roadway improvements.”

This month, McMains also was appointed to serve as PCI’s representative to the Louisiana Property and Casualty Insurance Commission. The commission will work on researching and studying laws and programs that affect automobile insurance rates and the availability and affordability of property and casualty insurance, including workers’ compensation and homeowners insurance in the state.

McMains recently retired from the Louisiana House of Representatives after serving the legislature for 10 years. During the last six years of his public service, McMains was chairman of the House Committee on Civil Law & Procedure and a floor leader for Gov. M.J. Foster. In those capacities, McMains authored significant tort reform legislation including the repeal of punitive damages and strict liability, the repeal of joint and several liability, wholesale revision of the articles on class actions and summary judgment and reinstitution of the “business judgment” rule in actions against officers and directors. McMains also passed numerous bills in the medical malpractice area, measures dealing with local and state governmental liability and was responsible for the legislative package of the Louisiana Law Institute where he served as a member of the executive committee.

Prior to his public service, McMains practiced law with a Baton Rouge firm and spent more than 13 years in various executive roles with Union National Life Insurance Company of Baton Rouge until its sale to a Teledyne subsidiary in 1989. He also has served as chairman of the Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, and is a former chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party and steering committee member for both former President George Bush and President George W. Bush.

Topics Louisiana