Comment from Clancy: State lawmakers are leading the effort to suspend the surcharge on citizens’ insurance premiums

NEW ORLEANS — Finally! State lawmakers are finally giving homeowners some rate relief on some of the highest insurance rates in the state. The credit goes to two local lawmakers: State Representative Matt Willard, a Democrat from New Orleans, and State Senator Kirk Talbot, a Republican from River Ridge.

They reached a compromise on Willard’s idea to eliminate the 10 percent surcharge on rates for Citizens Insurance, the state’s insurer of last resort. Talbot will amend one of his bills to completely suspend the surcharge for all citizens’ insurance throughout south Louisiana for three years starting July 1. That’s about 100,000 policies. Homeowners in the rest of Louisiana only pay a 5 percent surcharge.

This tariff relief is temporary but significant – and urgently needed.

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