Latest Louisiana Headlines

All the headlines from our Louisiana Topic Page, ordered by recency.

‘Bentley Bandit’ Luxury Car Thief, Wanted in 7 States, Caught

Jul 18 2011 // Authorities say a fugitive dubbed the “Bentley Bandit” because of accusations he stole luxury cars is being held without bond in a southwest Louisiana jail after wrecking a 2007 Bentley reported stolen from a...

Post-Loss Assignments of Claims Under Insurance Policies

Jul 18 2011 // In the settlement of lawsuits involving insured claims, it is not uncommon that one condition of the settlement is that the defendant assign his or her claims under all applicable insurance policies to the party that filed...

People

Jul 18 2011 // Bob Shepard, board chairman of Shepard Walton King Insurance Group in Harlingen, was installed as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas for 2011-2012 during the association’s annual business meeting...

Louisiana Joins Surplus Lines Coalition

Jul 13 2011 // Louisiana is now participating in an agreement designed to help states efficiently comply with the requirements of the federal surplus lines regulations that become effective later this month. Insurance Commissioner James...

Louisiana Seeks More Than $500M in BP-Funded Projects

Jul 13 2011 // Louisiana will seek approval for more than a half billion dollars in projects to restore coastal areas and fisheries affected by last year’s huge BP oil spill, Gov. Bobby Jindal said. The money would come from $1...

Greig Joins Third Coast Underwriters as Sr. Claims Examiner in Gulf Region

Jul 12 2011 // Third Coast Underwriters, a specialty markets operation that offers workers’ compensation insurance for underserved markets that have complex risks, has appointed Gordon Greig as senior claims examiner for the Gulf...

Louisiana Governor to Choose Adviser on Health Insurance Privatization

Jul 11 2011 // Three firms are vying to advise the Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration on efforts to privatize a state worker health insurance program. Michael DiResto, a spokesman for the governor’s Division of...

Ratings: Intrepid, John Deere, So. Carolina, Arkansas & Louisiana Farm Bureaus

Jun 30 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” of Michigan-based Intrepid Insurance Company, both with stable outlooks. The ratings...

U.S. Court Rejects $270M Tobacco Lawsuit Appeal

Jun 27 2011 // The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the major tobacco companies of a $270 million award for a Louisiana smoking cessation program. Altria Group Inc’s Philip Morris USA Inc, a Reynolds American Inc unit, a...

Insurer Investigators Donate $10K to Memorial Fund for Slain Louisiana Investigators

Jun 27 2011 // The nation’s largest association of insurer fraud investigators has contributed $10,000 to a memorial fund honoring two Louisiana investigators who were killed in the line of duty June 7. The board of directors of...

Private Sector Fuels May Job Growth in Louisiana

Jun 24 2011 // The private sector continued to lead non-seasonally adjusted nonfarm job growth in May for the state and in most of Louisiana’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), the Louisiana Workforce Commission has...

Insurers Offer $65.5M Settlement in Louisiana Housing Project Lead Claims Case

Jun 22 2011 // Insurance companies are offering $65.5 million to settle claims that lead in New Orleans’ housing projects hurt children who lived or visited there. Payments would go to people who spent time in the public housing...

State Farm Wants 8% Homeowners Rate Increase in Louisiana

Jun 22 2011 // State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., Louisiana’s largest insurer of homes, is asking state insurance regulators for permission to boost premiums by an average 8.5 percent. In a filing released by the state insurance...

Louisiana’s Stonetrust Adds Dileo, Bowen to Management Team

Jun 22 2011 // Stonetrust Commercial Insurance Co., a Louisiana-based workers’ compensation insurer, has added Michael G. Dileo and Ron Bowen to its management team: Dileo has been named vice president of Underwriting for...

Many Changes Expected in New Louisiana Flood Map

Jun 21 2011 // A new flood map for Louisiana’s Lafayette Parish is expected to offer a mixed bag, shrinking flood zones in some areas while making large tracts of vacant land more difficult to develop. The final version of the...

Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Louisiana to Honor Slain Insurance Investigators

Jun 20 2011 // American and Louisiana flags flew at half-staff outside Louisiana government buildings on June 9 and 10 in a show of respect for two state insurance fraud investigators who were shot to death on June 7. Gov. Bobby Jindal...

Louisiana Bill Would Help Families of Murdered Investigators

Jun 17 2011 // A week after two unarmed Louisiana insurance fraud investigators were shot and killed while looking into a case, state lawmakers are working to give the investigators’ families some compensation. The Louisiana Senate...

Explosions Rock Louisiana Chemical Plant; No Injuries

Jun 16 2011 // A fire at a plant in Louisiana’s Iberia Parish where chemicals are blended and stored for oilfield operations forced area residents to evacuate or hunker down while a grayish-brown column of smoke rose hundreds of...

Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Louisiana to Honor Slain Insurance Investigators

Jun 13 2011 // American and Louisiana flags flew at half-staff outside Louisiana government buildings on June 9 and 10 in a show of respect for two state insurance fraud investigators who were shot to death on June 7. Gov. Bobby Jindal...

Louisiana Gov. Keeps Group Benefits Privatization Report Secret

Jun 13 2011 // Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration handed over to senators a report involving efforts to privatize a state worker health insurance program, but has asked them to keep the document secret. Jindal’s...