Louisiana's next insurance commissioner elected without opposition as crisis escalates

Republican Tim Temple will regulate the Louisiana insurance as its next commissioner with the state mired in an insurance crisis, while Republican Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain will serve a fifth term in office as Democrats conceded both statewide seats.

Temple, who gain his wealth as an executive in the insurance industry, was elected after his only opponent, Democrat Rich Weaver, withdrew from the race Wednesday. No candidate filed to run against Strain last week during qualifying for the Oct. 14 primary election.

Temple will replace longtime Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon, who Temple criticized as "asleep at the wheel" before Donelon announced he wouldn't seek reelection.

Louisiana's insurance crisis has escalated on all fronts following a series of five hurricanes in 2020-2021 and recent auto insurance rate hikes, including a 17% increase approved this month for State Farm, which insures about 1 million customers here.

The lack of availability and affordability of homeowner's insurance below Interstate 10 is threatening home ownership along the coast, while Louisiana consumers pay 51% more than the national average for car insurance before the State Farm increase, second most of any state.

"Louisiana is facing a crisis as bad as it's been in my lifetime," Temple said last week while qualifying.

He said the best way to tackle the crisis is by "changing the environment where we make Louisiana a place (companies) want to write business" to create competition by making the state a "more friendly place to do business."

"We're overregulated," Temple said, noting there are no laws to force insurance companies to write policies in Louisiana.

Temple could face skeptics like Real Reform Louisiana, a consumer advocacy group.

“We congratulate Commissioner-elect Tim Temple on his victory and look forward to working with him to address Louisiana’s growing insurance crisis," said Ben Riggs, executive director of Real Reform. "We cannot afford more empty rhetoric. Louisiana desperately needs real insurance reforms that increase competition, lower prices and hold big insurance companies accountable.”

While previously critical of Donelon, Temple said he looks forward to working with the commissioner during the transition until Temple takes office in January.

"We have an enormous amount of work to do for the people of this state and I’m ready to get going," he said Wednesday in a statement. "Together, we will tackle Louisiana's insurance crisis head-on. Better days are ahead."

Strain, meanwhile, has had a stranglehold on his office since unseating former Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom in 2007.

Louisiana has had just two elected agriculture commissioners in past 43 years with back-to-back long reigns from Odom and Strain.

And Strain has no designs on retirement, telling USA Today Network he plans to run for a sixth term in 2027.

"We plan on running as long as there are opportunities and challenges in our industry," he said.

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Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Louisiana insurance, agriculture commissioners elected without opposition