From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: During a press conference today with Governor Jeff Landry, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced that registration for the next round of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1, and will include 3,000 grants. The registration period for this lottery will be open for three weeks, closing at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.  During the press conference, Gov. Landry signed HB 1187 by Rep. Paul Sawyer, which will allow Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to transfer $50 million in additional Katrina bond assessment funds to the LFHP. Combined with the $30 million in funding the program will receive through taxes and fees on insurance entities, the LFHP will receive a total of $80 million this year. “By lowering overall losses, we can reduce insurance and reinsurance costs, draw more insurers into the market, motivate existing companies to write additional policies and lower insurance premiums,” said Commissioner Temple. “That is exactly what the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is designed to do.” The list of coastal parishes that are eligible to participate is expanding to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes. Additionally, homeowners who live in the portions of Ascension, Calcasieu, Iberia, Livingston, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Vermilion parishes that were previously not included in the program will now be eligible to participate. A map showing the full list of eligible parishes is available on FortifyHomes.La.Gov . “Louisiana is the fastest growing state in the country for Fortified roofs, and that growth is not by accident—it is the result of strong support from Governor Landry and legislators like Chairman Talbot, Chairman Firment and Representative Sawyer, targeted program design, and a clear recognition that strengthening homes is one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance losses,” said Commissioner Temple. “At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs. It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.” To participate in the lottery, homeowners must register during the June registration period. Homeowners who registered for a previous round but were not selected must register again to participate. People who register on the last day of the registration period have the same chance of being selected as those who register on the first day, so there is no need to rush to register as soon as the period opens. When registering, homeowners will need to upload their homestead exemption, insurance policy declarations page that includes wind coverage, and flood insurance declarations page if the residence is in a flood zone. Homeowners who need assistance obtaining a copy of their homestead exemption should contact their parish tax assessor. Homeowners can contact their homeowners and flood insurance companies or agents for a copy of their policy declarations page. Homeowners are required to create a profile in the LFHP system before registering for the lottery and may do so by visiting the LFHP website and clicking the Login button. Homeowners who previously created a profile may use the same one for this and future rounds. Once the lottery registration period closes, the LFHP will randomly select 3,000 participants and send email notifications to registrants about whether they were selected to participate. These selection notices will be sent via email beginning on Monday, June 22. There are several program requirements that homeowners should be aware of before registering. Those interested in the program are encouraged to review eligibility information and frequently asked questions at FortifyHomes.La.Gov to determine whether their home meets the requirements for the program. If selected to participate in the grant program, homeowners will be financially responsible for having the home evaluated by a FORTIFIED-certified Evaluator as well as costs for the roof upgrade including permits, inspections and construction costs beyond the amount of the grant The LFHP provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to upgrade their roofs to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. The program helps Louisiana homeowners strengthen their roofs to better withstand hurricane-force winds.

From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: During a press conference today with Governor Jeff Landry, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced that registration for the next round of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1, and will include 3,000 grants. The registration period for this lottery will be open for three weeks, closing at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.  During the press conference, Gov. Landry signed HB 1187 by Rep. Paul Sawyer, which will allow Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to transfer $50 million in additional Katrina bond assessment funds to the LFHP. Combined with the $30 million in funding the program will receive through taxes and fees on insurance entities, the LFHP will receive a total of $80 million this year. “By lowering overall losses, we can reduce insurance and reinsurance costs, draw more insurers into the market, motivate existing companies to write additional policies and lower insurance premiums,” said Commissioner Temple. “That is exactly what the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is designed to do.” The list of coastal parishes that are eligible to participate is expanding to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes. Additionally, homeowners who live in the portions of Ascension, Calcasieu, Iberia, Livingston, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Vermilion parishes that were previously not included in the program will now be eligible to participate. A map showing the full list of eligible parishes is available on FortifyHomes.La.Gov . “Louisiana is the fastest growing state in the country for Fortified roofs, and that growth is not by accident—it is the result of strong support from Governor Landry and legislators like Chairman Talbot, Chairman Firment and Representative Sawyer, targeted program design, and a clear recognition that strengthening homes is one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance losses,” said Commissioner Temple. “At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs. It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.” To participate in the lottery, homeowners must register during the June registration period. Homeowners who registered for a previous round but were not selected must register again to participate. People who register on the last day of the registration period have the same chance of being selected as those who register on the first day, so there is no need to rush to register as soon as the period opens. When registering, homeowners will need to upload their homestead exemption, insurance policy declarations page that includes wind coverage, and flood insurance declarations page if the residence is in a flood zone. Homeowners who need assistance obtaining a copy of their homestead exemption should contact their parish tax assessor. Homeowners can contact their homeowners and flood insurance companies or agents for a copy of their policy declarations page. Homeowners are required to create a profile in the LFHP system before registering for the lottery and may do so by visiting the LFHP website and clicking the Login button. Homeowners who previously created a profile may use the same one for this and future rounds. Once the lottery registration period closes, the LFHP will randomly select 3,000 participants and send email notifications to registrants about whether they were selected to participate. These selection notices will be sent via email beginning on Monday, June 22. There are several program requirements that homeowners should be aware of before registering. Those interested in the program are encouraged to review eligibility information and frequently asked questions at FortifyHomes.La.Gov to determine whether their home meets the requirements for the program. If selected to participate in the grant program, homeowners will be financially responsible for having the home evaluated by a FORTIFIED-certified Evaluator as well as costs for the roof upgrade including permits, inspections and construction costs beyond the amount of the grant The LFHP provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to upgrade their roofs to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. The program helps Louisiana homeowners strengthen their roofs to better withstand hurricane-force winds.

From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Six Ouachita Parish residents have been arrested following an investigation into a long-running insurance fraud scheme involving fire and water damage claims. Using an innovative fraud-detection platform called Anti-Fraud One, the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) assisted the investigation by identifying a network of suspicious insurance claims and providing the information to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. “At the LDI, we are embracing innovative technologies like Anti-Fraud One and AI to identify and combat collusive insurance fraud,” said Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. “Louisiana is an early adopter of these sophisticated tools, which are revolutionizing the way insurance fraud is detected, investigated and prosecuted.” Louisiana is one of only three states using Anti-Fraud One. We use the system, which contains a database of nearly two billion claim records, to monitor for potential insurance fraud. Investigators can use this technology to create watch lists, track emerging fraud schemes and develop claim connections to hinder collusive fraud. “Fraud cases like these systematically increase insurance costs for every hardworking Louisiana family,” said Commissioner Temple. “Through the diligent work of our anti-fraud team and law enforcement partners, this deceptive scam will no longer exploit the system. We will continue to work tirelessly to root out fraud and protect the integrity of our insurance market.” The suspects face charges of insurance fraud, identity theft and money laundering spanning nearly a decade. With assistance from State Police and Department of Probation and Parole, the following West Monroe residents were arrested on May 8: Lashaundalyn Whitlock, 40, is charged with eight counts of Insurance Fraud, five counts of Computer Fraud, three counts of Identity Theft, five counts of Forgery and five counts of Felony Theft. Laquadra Whitlock Brown, 25, is charged with seven counts of Insurance Fraud, five counts of Computer Fraud, three counts of Identity Theft, one count of Money Laundering, one count of Forgery and eight counts of Felony Theft. Jaylen Whitlock, 22, is charged with one count of Insurance Fraud and one count of Felony Theft. Romenique Whitlock, 37, is charged with one count of Insurance Fraud and one count of Felony Theft. Terrence Mays, 27, is charged with one count of Insurance Fraud and one count of Felony Theft. Latricia Whitlock, 19, is charged with one count of Insurance Fraud. The investigation remains active, and additional arrests or charges are possible. The LDI encourages Louisiana residents to report suspected insurance fraud by calling 1-800-259-5300 or contacting us online .

From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced today that the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) continues its work to develop a regulation creating benchmark discounts for Fortified roofs in Louisiana. The LDI is working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to develop the benchmark discounts using Louisiana-specific data, hurricane modeling and actuarial considerations. “With over 11,000 Fortified roofs in Louisiana and two years-worth of insurer experience with rating for those roofs in our state, now is an appropriate time for the LDI to establish benchmark discounts for homeowners insurance companies operating in our market,” said Commissioner Temple. “These benchmarks are being thoughtfully developed to help consumers receive the discounts they deserve for fortifying their homes while making sure insurers know the benchmarks reflect how much Fortified roofs actually mitigate their exposure to risk across Louisiana.”  Like in Alabama’s Fortified benchmark discount structure, the LDI regulation would require Louisiana insurance companies to either meet the minimum benchmark discount established by the LDI or provide actuarial justification for why the company’s discount does not meet the benchmark. Louisiana is the fastest growing state for Fortified roofs in America. To date, over 11,000 Fortified roofs have been installed in Louisiana, including over 4,100 through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.

From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Commissioner Tim Temple has approved SureChoice Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (SURE) and Elevate Reciprocal Exchange’s requests for a 7.5% average rate decrease on the companies’ 73,000-plus homeowners policyholders and 17,000-plus dwelling policyholders. SURE is the second largest homeowners insurer in Louisiana and writes approximately 8% of the market. The change takes effect on Feb. 16, 2026. Rate changes are statewide averages, so each policyholder’s rate change will vary based on their individual risk. SURE indicated its decreases are primarily driven by a reduction in reinsurance costs. Reinsurance is essentially insurance that insurance companies buy to protect against catastrophic losses. Many Louisiana homeowners insurance companies buy reinsurance to protect against severe losses caused by a hurricane or named storm. “Since taking office, I’ve met several times with reinsurers to determine how we can encourage them to invest more capital in the Louisiana homeowners market, as well as how we can reduce the risk—and the cost—associated with that investment,” said Commissioner Temple. “Reinsurers consistently brought up the need for Louisiana to amend the three-year rule, clarify our catastrophe claims process and put far more emphasis on resilience and mitigation programs. While we still have a long way to go before all Louisianans can benefit from these changes, we have made great strides and are beginning to see the results of our hard work.”  Consumers may review all property and auto rate filings online with the Louisiana Department of Insurance’s new user-friendly rate filing search tool .