House Bill No. by Representative Dana Henry establishes a mandatory pre-suit claim review process for residential property insurance claims related to catastrophic losses. The bill enacts a new Part III of Chapter 15 of Title 22 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, known as the "Louisiana Residential Property Insurance Catastrophic Loss Review and Resolution Act." It defines key terms such as "catastrophic loss," "claim dispute," and "review panel," and mandates that no legal action for damages can be initiated unless the claimant has first complied with the pre-suit review requirements. This includes submitting a notice of dispute to the Department of Insurance, which must contain satisfactory proof of loss, supporting documentation, and a summary of the dispute.

The bill outlines the responsibilities of both the claimant and the insurer during the review process, including timelines for documentation submission and the assignment of independent reviewers. It specifies that the review panel will evaluate claims and allegations of bad faith, issuing a written determination that is admissible in subsequent legal proceedings but not binding. Additionally, the bill exempts claims under $25,000 and emergency actions requiring immediate judicial relief from this process. The provisions of the bill are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.