Hurricane Francine Insurance Claims
Short answer: if Hurricane Francine damaged your home or business and your insurer denied or underpaid the claim, you may still have options, but the 24-month minimum suit deadline passed on September 11, 2026, so check your policy’s deadline now.
Hurricane Francine made landfall in Terrebonne Parish on September 11, 2024, about 25 miles south-southwest of Morgan City. It came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane with winds near 105 mph (NHC report). Storm surge reached 5 to 8 feet near Cocodrie and Dulac. Rain topped 11 inches near Covington and caused flash flooding across southeast Louisiana.
Your deadline may already be close or past
Louisiana law does not allow a homeowners policy, or most other property policies, to give you less than 24 months from the date of loss to file suit (La. R.S. 22:868(B)). For Francine, the 24-month minimum ran out on September 11, 2026, but your policy may give you longer. Check the “suit against us” clause in your policy. Since June 9, 2026, an insurer’s payment no longer extends that deadline (Act 876 of 2026). Payments made before then may be treated differently, so call us to check. If you have an open Francine claim and haven’t filed suit, call today so we can check your policy.
New rules for catastrophic claims
Francine claims arising from the declared disaster generally fall under Louisiana’s 2024 catastrophe rules (La. R.S. 22:1892.2):
- For a home, the insurer must pay within 60 days of receiving satisfactory written proof of loss.
- If the failure to pay is arbitrary or capricious, the insurer can owe the greater of 50% of the amount found due (or 50% of the underpayment) plus proven economic damages, or $2,500, plus attorney fees and costs.
- Before suing for penalties under this statute, you must give the insurer 60 days’ written notice of what is owed. If it pays that amount, plus the expenses and capped attorney fees claimed in the notice, there is no penalty claim on that demand.
Deductibles and mediation
Hurricane deductibles are often a percentage, commonly 2% to 5%, of the insured value in your policy (LDI Francine guidance). For eligible residential disputes after a declared emergency for a named storm, Louisiana offers a voluntary, non-binding mediation program.
Talk to me about your Francine claim: 504-834-4000. Back to Louisiana Hurricane Insurance Claims