Washington, DC – Congressman William J. Jefferson (D-La.) today testified before the “House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations” regarding the difficulties Louisiana homeowners have experienced with insurance issues in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. 

Congressman Jefferson said, “It is necessary that we hold these insurance companies responsible and make them pay for the services that they guaranteed their customers.   Since Katrina hit, these companies have seemingly done everything in their power not to be fair and equitable to the very people who need them the most; the very people who- for decades- have been loyal, paying customers.”

“Courts in Louisiana are flooded with litigation suits against insurance companies because most residents feel it is the only way they can recover anything from the insurers.  In the Eastern District of Louisiana, there are 5,175 Katrina related lawsuits, and 95% of those are for homeowners against insurance companies.” 

“I would like to emphasize that the greatest impediment Louisiana Katrina victims face is not the incompetence of FEMA, but the financial problems arising from insurance companies,” Jefferson said.

Also today, Congressman Jefferson for the first time took his seat as a member of the Homeland Security Committee.  The Democratic Caucus yesterday approved Jefferson’s appointment, which was handed down by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi several weeks ago.