Making Insurance More Affordable in Jefferson Parish

Jefferson EDGE Releases Insurance Report

Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) officials have released its Jefferson EDGE 2020 Insurance Report. The report details the negative impact of Hurricane Katrina on the insurance industry in Jefferson Parish, specifically in the area of casualty insurance. While the overall climate for insurance is improving, with more coverage availability and gradually decreasing costs, the insurance report identifies specific action items to further improve the state of insurance in Jefferson Parish. The strategies are focused on mitigating risk, directing public policy and educating businesses on insurance issues.

Risk Mitigation

• Aggressively support the accelerated implementation of the Jefferson EDGE 2020 Flood Protection plan.
• Strongly oppose efforts to reverse the mandatory statewide building code.
• Support efforts at the state and local levels to ensure more intelligent building practices.

Public Policy

• Extend the Insure Louisiana Incentive Program to allow for further distribution of incentive funds to attract private insurers to the state.
• Support statewide efforts for tort reform.
• Advocate forcefully for the establishment of a Federal Catastrophe Insurance Fund.
• Advocate for reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
• Examine the feasibility of other insurance reform proposals at the national level.

Research and Education

• Create a formal, unified mechanism for outreach to businesses on insurance matters.
• Encourage businesses in Jefferson and throughout the metropolitan area to join regional and national coalitions to advocate for comprehensive insurance reform.

“Without affordable and adequate insurance coverage, we are facing an uphill battle with retaining and attracting new businesses. By following the road map outlined in this report, we can help increase the availability of property insurance options not only for our businesses, but also for our residents," said Lee Giorgio, head of the Jefferson EDGE insurance strike force.

View the full list of insurance improvements download the Insurance Status Report

Insurance Status Report 1, October, 2009 (PDF - 5 Pages - 376 KB)

Download the full strategic implementation plan

Jefferson EDGE 2020 Strategic Implementation Plan - Insurance Report (PDF - 2.57mb)