Louisiana Joins Oklahoma in Seeking Premium Payment Relief for Government Workers

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner James Donelon on Jan. 25 issued a bulletin to insurers operating in his state, asking that they help out policyholders affected by the federal government shutdown by “exercising leniency” in the case of late premium payments.

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready also made a similar plea to insurers in Oklahoma.

The bulletin issued by the Louisiana Department of Insurance “strongly encouraged” property/casualty and life, health and accident insurers to “reasonably accommodate” shutdown-affected policyholders “by providing payment plants or extensions of time for premium payments.”

The department is also encouraging impacted policyholders to “contact their insurance carriers to inform them of the federal government employment status and to request arrangements” for insurance premium payments.

The department’s bulletin noted that around 6,000 Louisianans work for federal agencies impacted by the government shutdown. Around 5,858 of those federal employees were not being paid, the LDI noted.