State-Level Advocacy
State-Level Advocacy
One of the core functions of Big I Louisiana is to represent the independent agent community in discussions with governmental policymakers, the department of insurance, the media, insurance companies, wholesalers, technology vendors, ratings agencies, and other parties with an interest in our members’ business.
We work tirelessly on behalf of agents to build a healthy, competitive insurance market and to maximize market capacity for Big I LA member agencies, and when problems or disputes arise within the insurance industry, Big I is quick to represent the interests of our member agencies and their customers in an effort to seek appropriate solutions.
Some historical wins
- Established first-in-the-nation statutory exclusive use of expirations, protecting agencies’ books of business
- Passed legal guardrails on Certificates of Insurance to minimize unreasonable demands for manuscripted wording
- Codified producer of record statutes, eliminating most gray areas for company acceptance and producer compensation
- Agency fee statute – allowed agents to put a reasonable fee on policies in addition to commissions
- Negotiable commissions – provided a balanced approach, providing stable, predictable compensation on most accounts while allowing flexibility to negotiate on large policies
- Competitive surplus lines – eliminated due diligence forms, allowing surplus lines to compete directly for business
What have we done for you lately?
So far in 2026
- Protected agents and policyholders by working with LDI and industry to ensure Surplus Lines are required to provide reasonable notice of cancellation and non-renewal
- Prevented legislation requiring agents to disclose LA license number on all written communication, including all emails, advertising, business cards, etc.
- Reformed the stated value policy act to protect agents from E&O exposure related to disclosure and signature requirements
The last few years
- Shifted burden of UM forms to company, instead of agent (prospectively)
- Heavy involvement in systematic reforms designed to revitalize our struggling insurance market
- Property market reforms to attract capacity after 2020 and 2021 storms including bad faith statute reforms, regulatory overhauls, and more
- Legal system abuse reforms including modified comparative fault, transparency for third party litigation financing, amongst others
- Worked with carriers to facilitate communication and minimize disruptions to agencies’ books of business amidst rapidly shifting market environments in the wake of the 2020 and 2021 storms
For more details on our legislative work the past few years:
