Latest Louisiana Headlines

Board Members, Former Execs of Louisiana Citizens Target of Lawsuit

Apr 7 2008 // Two policyholders of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. have filed a federal lawsuit against board members and former executives of the corporation, which is the state’s “insurer of last...

Recession? In South Central States it Depends Upon Where You Are

Apr 7 2008 // With some notable exceptions — southern Louisiana for one — the economies of the South Central states seem to be holding steady against the looming prospect of a nationwide recession. Populations are growing in...

Apr 7 2008 // People Rob Arnold has been named president of Houston-based insurance wholesaler Myron Steves. Arnold has been a member of the Myron Steves management team since 1995 and has also served as director of Business...

South La. Lawmakers Seek Rate Cut

Apr 7 2008 // South Louisiana lawmakers are pushing to give some homeowners a 10 percent break on their property insurance, though the legislation faces firm opposition from state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. House Bill 213 could...

Louisiana AG’s Suit Against Insurers Over Katrina Stays in U.S. Court

Apr 4 2008 // Policyholders may not be entitled to recover any money from a sweeping antitrust lawsuit that former Attorney General Charles Foti filed against some of the nation’s largest insurers after Hurricane Katrina, a...

LWCC Promotes Buffone to VP of Risk Management Services

Apr 3 2008 // Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) has promoted Paul D. Buffone to vice president of risk management services. He will oversee risk management services for LWCC, including claims, occupational...

Procedures for Depopulating La. Citizens Property Ins. Corp. Unveiled

Apr 1 2008 // The Louisiana Department of Insurance has issued procedures for the first round of depopulation of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (LCPIC). The procedures were established at a meeting on March 14, 2008....

South La. Lawmakers Seek Rate Cut for Citizens Policyholders

Mar 31 2008 // South Louisiana lawmakers are pushing to give some homeowners a 10 percent break on their property insurance, though the legislation faces firm opposition from state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. The bill could erase...

La. Posts Nation’s Fastest Income Growth. But Will It Last?

Mar 28 2008 // For the second straight year, Louisiana has posted the fastest personal income growth in the nation, but a prominent economist says that the post-hurricane boost will not necessarily last. “To argue we’re the...

Suit Names Board Members, Former Execs of Louisiana Citizens

Mar 26 2008 // Two policyholders of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. have filed a federal lawsuit against board members and former executives of the corporation, which was established by the state as an “insurer of...

Former State Representative Bowler Named La. Deputy Commissioner

Mar 25 2008 // Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon named former State Representative Shirley Bowler of Harahan to take over the vacant position of deputy commissioner of the Office of Management and Finance in the Department...

Declarations

Mar 24 2008 // Long-Term Vision Needed “The nation needs to develop a new long-term vision for its highway system that would include improving conditions and safety and reducing traffic congestion.” —William M. Wilkins,...

Dispute with Louisiana Insurance Department, Legislature Resolved

Mar 24 2008 // Steve Theriot, Louisiana’s legislative auditor, said a legal dispute between the legislature and state insurance department has been resolved. The dispute involved Theriot’s demand that Insurance Commissioner...

Business Moves

Mar 24 2008 // Texas Farmers Insurance Company Texas Farmers Insurance Company filed a rate increase for its “Texas Family Home Policy” with the Texas Department of Insurance. The increase would impact 200,000 customers or...

People

Mar 24 2008 // McQueary Henry Bowles Troy hired Jimmy Balagia as senior vice president in the firm’s property and casualty group in Austin. Balagia has 30 years of experience as a property and casualty broker/consultant and...

Help Finally Available for Louisiana’s Hurricane-Weary Fishermen

Mar 21 2008 // For the past two and a half years, Louisiana’s fishermen have relied on their natural gift for resourcefulness and made do with jury-rigged docks cobbled together from hurricane debris and spent countless hours in...

Louisiana’s Katrina-Hit Areas Among Fastest-Growing Counties

Mar 21 2008 // New Orleans and nearby St. Bernard Parish, areas that suffered huge population losses after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, are regaining residents so fast that they topped the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of...

Former La. Lawmaker: Restitution Cash from Insurance Co. Liquidation

Mar 20 2008 // Former Louisiana Senate president Michael O’Keefe, serving 19.5 years for stealing from a failed medical malpractice insurance company, said he and his codefendants plan to pay $4.7 million in restitution by using...

FEMA Changes Appeals Process for Rebuilding Projects in La.

Mar 19 2008 // State and federal officials are touting changes to the process for Louisiana communities to appeal decisions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on funding to rebuild schools, roads, hospitals and other...

Louisiana Work Comp Rates Dropping

Mar 18 2008 // Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon announced that rates for workers’ compensation insurance are decreasing in Louisiana, based on a recent report from the National Council on Compensation Insurance...