E-News September 26, 2005

Louisiana Commissioner appoints NAPSLO to Recovery and Redevelopment Committee

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley has appointed NAPSLO to a committee comprised of insurance trade associations; local, state and federal agencies; and a number of large personal lines insurance companies. The purpose of this committee is to create and execute a coordinated recovery and redevelopment plan for properties in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

The "Operation Recovery and Redevelopment Committee" has already begun work on the scheduling of claims adjustments, property demolitions, temporary housing for adjusters and other recovery assistance personnel, and reconstruction of properties destroyed by the hurricane.

Commissioner Wooley initiated this effort to allow the pooling of insurance industry and government resources which would create economies of scale that would benefit all parties involved in the process, particularly the public. The associations (NAPSLO, LASLA, PCI, AIA, and NAMIC) were also asked to keep their members informed of the effort and its details in order for their members to participate in and contribute to this coordinated recovery and redevelopment project.

The committee has met twice by conference call and expects to meet in Louisiana this week. Among the committee's first goals are:
· Locate a Project Office/MASH Office (Mobile Adjusting and Support HQ) with communications, utilities, security, medical support, housing and food/water for all involved in the project.   
· Divide the affected areas into grids and establish a coordinated schedule for adjusting claims in each of the grid areas.
· Provide a one-stop shopping location for insurance and government assistance for the hurricane victims in these two parishes.

The project will allow company adjusters to use the project office to stage a coordinated effort to adjust claims by grid section on a scheduled basis, and also allow victims access to public and private assistance agencies at the same time and location.

NAPSLO's involvement as a member of the committee will allow it to keep member companies, associate adjuster member firms and affected wholesalers informed of the progress of the project and allow them to take advantage of, and contribute to this coordinated effort. As additional information becomes available, NAPSLO will apprize the membership.