Louisiana bill extends time to file lawsuits against insurance providers

By Hubert Vigilla

Published on April 06, 2006

According to Louisiana State Representative Tim Burns (R-Mandeville), the bill will only apply to future disasters in the state. The bill will not affect policyholders who want to challenge their insurance companies following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Burns noted that he is looking for ways to make this bill retroactively apply to the victims of last year's hurricanes. If retroactive application of the bill to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita victims is not possible, Burns said he would file a resolution that would call on the insurance industry to agree to a two year extension.

Lobbyists for the insurance industry stated that the language of the bill is currently too broad and may apply to every insurance policy for anyone in the state, which includes both life and health insurance. Burns said that he would work with the insurance industry to ensure the language of the bill only applies to homeowner's insurance and possibly auto insurance policies.

The bill took shaped after The Committee of Civil Law and Procedure amended House Bill 666, which was authored by Burns. The bill will be sent to the House for debate.

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