A Flood of Insurance Claims Follow Isaac

Only 31 percent of Louisianans have flood insurance

Thousands of flood insurance claims are being filed in the wake of Hurricane Isaac, a slow-moving storm that hammered several parishes in southern Louisiana with prolonged, drenching rains and tropical-storm force winds, leaving water damage in parishes that don't typically experience flooding, officials said Tuesday.

Commissioner of Insurance James Donelon said three parishes — St. Tammany, Plaquemines and St. John the Baptist — experienced an unusual amount of flooding. He said only 31 percent of Louisiana residents have flood insurance. The storm straddled the region for days last week, swamping homes with water up to four feet deep in some areas.

Donelon has issued an emergency rule to prevent late fees, penalties, cancellations or non-renewals on insurance policies from hitting policyholders affected by Hurricane Isaac. The emergency order also allows residents with health insurance coverage to qualify for out-of-network medical care if they are stranded in places away from their usual providers.