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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – The Louisiana insurance coverage commissioner\u2019s race on the Oct. 12 poll is a contest between two Republicans, the one who\u2019s held the job for greater than a decade and an opponent who says the state\u2019s insurance coverage local weather has worsened throughout that tenure.<\/p>\n
Jim Donelon, a former state lawmaker from Metairie who\u2019s been insurance coverage commissioner since 2006, mentioned he\u2019s restored integrity to and eliminated corruption from an workplace that noticed three former commissioners serve jail time. He mentioned he helped draw new corporations to a property insurance coverage market devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud to inform you that in the present day we’ve extra insurers doing enterprise in our state throughout all strains than ever earlier than,\u201d Donelon mentioned at a Monday candidate discussion board. \u201cThat competitors has resulted in decrease charges for customers of auto, employees comp and owners\u2019 insurance coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
However his opponent Tim Temple of Baton Rouge, president of an actual property administration firm, described a unique insurance coverage outlook for Louisiana. He mentioned Donelon has accomplished too little to decrease car and industrial trucking insurance coverage charges.<\/p>\n
\u201cLouisiana wants a commissioner who understands {the marketplace}, the distribution channels, and is devoted to creating insurance coverage inexpensive once more,\u201d Temple mentioned. \u201cCommissioner Donelon is the architect of the worst insurance coverage market in America.\u201d<\/p>\n
At a discussion board held by the Press Membership of Baton Rouge, Temple described his 20 years of prior work within the insurance coverage business and repeatedly criticized Donelon\u2019s administration of the division, notably on automobile insurance coverage charges.<\/p>\n
\u201cLouisiana\u2019s probably the most unaffordable state in America for insurance coverage. Our non-public passenger auto charges are the second highest within the nation and forecast to be No. 1 subsequent yr,\u201d he mentioned.<\/p>\n
Donelon pointed to price cuts just lately introduced by three corporations that he mentioned will decrease premiums for 1.5 million drivers. However he additionally acknowledged: \u201cWe nonetheless have challenges in our auto insurance coverage market.\u201d<\/p>\n
The incumbent insurance coverage commissioner mentioned he\u2019ll work once more with state lawmakers to attempt to place extra limits on the civil litigation system, aimed toward lessening the damages awarded in opposition to insurance coverage corporations.<\/p>\n