In State of Louisiana v. All Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers Authorized and Licensed to Do Business in the State of Louisiana, 2006-2030 (La. 8/25/06), the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld Acts 739 and 802 of the 2006 legislative session.
Act 739 extends to September 1, 2007, the filing period for Katrina-related claims under homeowner, personal property, tenant, condominium and commercial insurance policies, with a similar extension to October 1, 2007 for Rita-related claims.
Act 802 provides extensions (oddly, to different dates, 8/30/07 and 9/25/07) for similar claims, plus claims under flood insurance policies.
The Supreme Court found that the Acts impaired the insurers’ contract rights, but readily found that the State’s interest in coping with the aftermath of the "worst natural disaster to have ever occurred in the United States" easily prevailed.
Discussions of the decision can be found at Appellate Law and Practice, and the Insurance Journal, and this morning’s Picayune has an article here about the last-minute filings in case the decision doesn’t hold up.