Plaintiffs in Louisiana Citizens Insurance Suit to Seize Cash

March 8, 2012

The plaintiffs who won a $92.8 million judgment against Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. three years ago plan to seize the company’s cash as a result of a ruling late on March 6 in a Jefferson Parish state district court.

The Advocate reports the state-backed Citizens and its banker, Regions Bank, had attempted to delay the seizure, arguing that the plaintiffs should have filed that request in Baton Rouge. The judge ruled that the seizure was done properly.

The ruling gives the bank 10 days to let plaintiff attorneys how much of Citizens’ money the bank is holding, the Advocate reported.

Plaintiff attorneys said Citizens’ policyholders would move ahead with the seizure.

Citizens in February offered to settle the dispute for $103 million, an offer that included a $25 million cap on attorneys’ fees. It was rejected by the plaintiff attorneys.

The lawsuit was filed following hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Citizens’ policyholders claimed the company did not begin to adjust claims within the 30 days required by state law.

Citizens has said it may appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Topics Lawsuits Louisiana

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Latest Comments

  • March 8, 2012 at 2:32 pm
    Chris Reid says:
    This sounds just like Texas. The fact that state-created insurers cannot follow the same rules and regulations that the states impose on the private sector insurers tells me t... read more
  • March 8, 2012 at 2:18 pm
    J.S. says:
    The plaintiffs won a $92 million judgment. This judgment has been appealed to and upheld by the State Supreme Court. You feel that it is now somehow the plaintiff's responsibi... read more
  • March 8, 2012 at 1:45 pm
    Former Status Quo says:
    It's going to be really funny next time a hurricane hits Louisiana because Citizens isn't going to have anything to pay the claims. The fact that the plantiff attorneys rejec... read more

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