BATON ROUGE, La. — According to Bankrate.com, Louisiana has one of the highest auto insurance costs in the nation, with an average annual rate of more than $3,600.
On Wednesday, Gov. Jeff Landry announced that the only way to drive down rates is to hold both lawyers and insurance companies accountable.
“Let me be clear, I believe both sides have plenty of blame to go around,” Landry said.
According to Landry, minor injury claims in Louisiana are double the national average.
He blamed that in part on what he called “the obnoxious amount of money that both sides are spending on advertising.”
The governor encouraged lawmakers to come up with stricter rules for attorney advertising.
He also wants to prohibit insurance companies from passing on marketing costs to their customers.
“Texas does not allow it, and neither should we,” Landry said. “I’m just as tired of seeing Morris Bart as I am seeing the lizard.”
Landry is asking lawmakers to strengthen Louisiana’s no pay, no play law.
Plaintiffs without insurance would lose the first $100,000 of their accident claim.
“Uninsured motorists should not have the same rights as those responsible citizens who are paying to have insurance coverage,” Landry said.
Landry also said he would support giving the insurance commissioner more authority to hold insurance companies accountable for rate increases while making record profits in the state.
He is also pushing for stricter penalties for texting and posting to social media while driving.
“The tragic consequences of distracted driving are far too common and contribute to too much of the insurance problem that we’re seeing today,” Landry said.
When it comes to runaway property insurance rates, Landry said he will push to bolster the state’s fortified roof program and pressure Congress and the Trump administration to revisit FEMA’s controversial Risk Rating 2.0.
Insurance is just one of the issues that will be discussed beginning Monday, when lawmakers return to the state Capitol for the start of this year’s legislative session.
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