(The Center Square) – Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple has suspended insurance cancellations and other policy deadlines for residents in seven parishes affected by Tropical Storm Arthur, giving policyholders additional time to make premium payments and manage claims as recovery continues.

Temple issued Emergency Rule 50, which temporarily suspends certain state insurance laws governing policy cancellations, terminations, nonrenewals, nonreinstatements, premium payments and claim filing deadlines for eligible policyholders.

Arthur brought widespread flooding, heavy rainfall and isolated tornadoes to parts of Louisiana in mid-June before weakening. While the storm dissipated, its remnants continued producing flooding rain across portions of the state, prompting emergency declarations and leaving homeowners and businesses to assess damage.

“I issued Emergency Rule 50 to protect Louisianans whose lives have been disrupted by Tropical Storm Arthur,” Temple said in a statement. “As floodwaters recede and affected policyholders shift their focus from the disaster to the recovery phase, now is the time to issue this rule and give them more time to pay premiums without risk of insurance cancellation or nonrenewal.”

The action follows Gov. Jeff Landry’s emergency declaration covering Avoyelles, Lafourche, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Landry, St. Tammany and Terrebonne parishes after Arthur brought heavy rain, flooding and severe weather across parts of Louisiana.

The emergency rule applies to policyholders who live in or have insured property in those seven parishes.

Under the order, insurers generally may not cancel, terminate, refuse to renew or refuse to reinstate covered policies based on missed premium payments or other deadlines affected by the storm during the emergency period. The rule also provides additional time for certain insurance-related filings and obligations.

The protections extend across Louisiana’s insurance market, covering insurers regulated under state law, including property and casualty companies, life insurers, annuity providers, health maintenance organizations, managed care organizations, preferred provider organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, third-party administrators and health insurance issuers.

Temple’s office said the rule is intended to provide temporary financial and administrative relief for residents dealing with storm-related disruptions, allowing them to prioritize recovery without immediately risking a lapse in insurance coverage.

For many homeowners, Arthur also may trigger separate named storm insurance deductibles. Under Louisiana law, a named storm deductible can apply whenever the National Hurricane Center designates a system as a named tropical storm, even if damage results from flooding, tornadoes or other severe weather associated with the storm rather than hurricane-force winds. The deductible is typically higher than a standard homeowners deductible and is often calculated as a percentage of a home’s insured value.

Emergency Rule 50 took effect June 18 and is scheduled to remain in effect through July 22 unless Temple ends it earlier.

The order applies only to policyholders in the parishes included in the governor’s emergency declaration. Those outside the affected area remain subject to normal policy terms and state insurance requirements.