Insurance Dispute Lawyer Blog
Insurers seek dismissal of state’s Road Home suit
NEW ORLEANS — Lawyers for some of the nation’s largest insurance companies asked a federal judge on Friday to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former Louisiana attorney general, calling it “a bald attempt” to force insurers to increase payouts for hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. heard arguments from lawyers on both sides of the case, but didn’t immediately rule on the companies’ request for him to dismiss the class action suit filed in 2007 by former Attorney General Charles Foti.
Lawyers for Allstate Insurance Co., State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. and other insurers claim the attorney general’s office is trying to take over the rights to more than 155,000 policyholder claims, to recover money the state paid out through the federally funded Road Home homeowner grant program after the 2005 hurricanes.
But the companies say the state already had deducted insurance payments in calculating grant awards.
More can be read at the KATC website, the article being available here
The insurance companies will fight tooth and claw to keep from paying out on claims and often make the process unbearable for policy holders looking to make a claim, going so far as to fight the state when it tries to step in for citizens. It is important to remain on top of your claim at every step and retain adequate legal council if necessary.
Contact the Berniard Law Firm today if you have a claim you feel is not receiving the attention or care it deserves.