The structure of the homeowners forms (HO-2, HO-3, HO-4, HO-5, HO-6, HO-8), Coverages A through F, and the standard exclusions are covered in the national homeowners guide. Louisiana's hurricane exposure has produced a body of homeowners-specific statutes on deductibles, cancellation and nonrenewal, and claims. Several of them changed in 2024 and 2025. This guide covers those rules. General Louisiana property rules, such as the standard fire policy, claim deadlines and Citizens, are in the Louisiana property and casualty basics guide.

Hurricane and named storm deductibles (R.S. 22:1337, 22:1265(G))

• Many Louisiana homeowners policies carry a separate, often percentage-based, deductible for named storm or hurricane losses.
• Annual application. A separate named storm or hurricane deductible applies on an annual (calendar-year) basis to all such losses in that year.
• A second storm in the same year. The insurer may apply the remaining amount of the hurricane deductible or the all-other-perils deductible, whichever is greater.
• Disclosure form. For new policies effective after January 1, 2023, the insurer gives the named insured a Commissioner-prescribed form listing each wind-related deductible and requests the insured's signature. A new form is required if the deductible percentage or dollar amount changes. It isn't required when a percentage deductible's dollar amount rises only because the limits went up.
• One deductible per incident. A homeowners policy may apply only one deductible to a loss from a single incident (22:1265(G)).

Cancellation and nonrenewal

Nonrenewal notice (R.S. 22:1335, as amended by Acts 2025, No. 182, effective July 1, 2026):

• Homeowners nonrenewal requires 60 days' notice.
• If the notice is late, coverage continues until 60 days after the notice is sent, with earned premium figured pro rata at the prior rate.

The old "three-year rule" (22:1265(D), (E)). This rule limited cancellation and nonrenewal of policies in force more than three years. It does not apply to policies issued after August 1, 2024 (22:1265(K), Acts 2024, No. 9). For older policies that had been in force at least three years on or before August 1, 2024, an insurer that files a plan may nonrenew up to 5% of its policies a year for any reason. Nonrenewing more than that needs approval (22:1265(L)).

Prohibited reasons:

• Acts of God. An insurer may not cancel, nonrenew or raise the premium based solely on a loss caused by an Act of God, meaning natural causes without human intervention. An area-wide rate change at a new policy period is still allowed (22:1336).
• ATVs. An insurer may not cancel, refuse or nonrenew solely because the insured owns an all-terrain vehicle, though it may exclude ATV losses (22:1265(C)).
• No-cause nonrenewals. A no-cause nonrenewal may not be kept in the insured's file as a for-cause action or used to raise the rate for equivalent coverage (22:1333).
• Rate inadequacy. An insurer may nonrenew for an inadequate rate only after its request for actuarially justified rate relief was rejected by the Commissioner (22:1265(A)(3)).

Form conversion. Moving a class of policies to a new approved form at renewal is not a cancellation or nonrenewal (22:1334).

Market withdrawal. An insurer that withdraws from the homeowners market generally can't write homeowners coverage in Louisiana again for five years (22:1265(I)).

Surviving spouses (22:1335(C), (F)). After a spouse's death, the surviving spouse may request a grace period of up to 60 days for a semiannual or annual premium. The grace period doesn't apply to premiums paid through a lender's escrow account.

Claims

• Additional living expense advance (22:1338). After a covered total loss, an insured with ALE coverage may request an advance equal to three months of estimated increased living costs.
• Residential catastrophe claims (22:1892.2). After a catastrophic loss, the insurer pays amounts due on residential property within 60 days of satisfactory proof of loss.
• Depreciation must be explained in writing (22:1892(B)(6)).
• The insurer may not require a particular contractor (22:1892(E)).
• On a joint check to the insured and the mortgagee, the insurer itemizes the amount paid under each coverage (22:1892(A)(6)).
• Suit deadline (22:868(B)). A homeowners policy may not limit the time to sue on a first-party claim to less than 24 months after the loss begins.

Common exam traps

• A separate hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year. For a second storm, the insurer uses the remaining amount or the AOP deductible, whichever is greater.
• A wind deductible form must be signed for new policies after 1/1/2023, and again whenever the percentage changes.
• Only one deductible applies per incident.
• Since July 1, 2026, homeowners nonrenewal needs 60 days' notice.
• The three-year rule doesn't protect policies issued after August 1, 2024.
• An insurer can't drop or surcharge a policyholder solely for an Act of God loss or for owning an ATV.
• The ALE advance is three months of increased costs after a total loss.