Homeowners Insurance in Kenner, Louisiana
Honest Guidance in a Tough Market
The Louisiana homeowners insurance market is genuinely difficult right now, and any agent who tells you otherwise isn't being straight with you. Carrier options have narrowed significantly since 2020, premiums have climbed, and Jefferson Parish homeowners are navigating all of it in real time. Here's an honest picture of where things stand — and what we can do to help.
How Louisiana Got Here
What Happened to the Louisiana Homeowners Market
Between 2020 and 2021, Louisiana took four named storm hits — Laura, Delta, Zeta, and Ida — in back-to-back hurricane seasons. The losses were significant enough that multiple private carriers chose to reduce their Louisiana exposure or exit the state entirely. What followed was a combination of reduced competition, tighter underwriting standards, and meaningful rate increases for the homeowners who remained.
Jefferson Parish homeowners saw an average rate increase of 34% in 2023 alone. That's not an industry-wide trend — it's a Louisiana-specific consequence of the carrier exits and the remaining companies repricing their books to reflect the risk. Homeowners insurance in Kenner and Metairie today looks different than it did five years ago, and it's worth going into any coverage conversation with that context.
We're not going to pretend the market is easy. What we can do is work it as well as it can be worked.
Who's Still Writing Homeowners Coverage in Louisiana
Several carriers remain active in the Louisiana private homeowners market — they're writing selectively, with tighter underwriting criteria around roof age, construction type, and proximity to the coast, but they are writing. As an independent agency, we work with the carriers that are still active in Jefferson Parish and the Greater New Orleans metro, and we know which ones are currently competitive for which types of properties.
The honest answer to "can you get me homeowners insurance" depends on your property: its age, your roof condition, your flood zone, your claims history, and your zip code. Those factors determine which carriers will consider your property and at what rate. We ask the right questions upfront so we're not wasting your time or ours shopping your property to carriers who won't write it.
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance — The Last-Resort Market
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the state-run insurer of last resort — the option available to homeowners who can't get coverage in the private market. If private carriers won't write your property, Citizens exists to make sure you're not uninsurable.
Citizens coverage is typically more expensive than comparable private market policies and carries its own terms and assessment structure. We shop the private market first, and if that comes up short for your property, we walk through what Citizens looks like as an alternative. Some homeowners end up there because it's genuinely the best available option; others end up there because nobody shopped the private market carefully enough. We make sure you know which situation you're in before a decision is made.
The Fortify Homes Program — A Real Opportunity to Reduce Your Premium
Louisiana's Fortify Homes program is worth knowing about if you're dealing with high premiums or a roof replacement in your near future. The program provides grants for qualifying homeowners to upgrade their roofs to a Fortified construction standard — a wind-resistance specification developed by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.
Carriers view Fortified roofs as meaningfully lower risk, and the premium reduction reflects that. Homeowners with Fortified-rated roofs can see premiums drop by up to 40% with participating carriers. The grant program is income-based, but even homeowners who don't qualify for grant funding can pursue the Fortified standard independently and still benefit from carrier discounts.
If your roof is aging or you've been facing rate increases, this is a concrete conversation worth having before your next renewal.
Understanding What Your Homeowners Policy Actually Covers in Louisiana
Two provisions matter more in Louisiana than almost anywhere else, and both are worth understanding clearly before a storm season starts rather than after.
Hurricane deductibles are separate from your standard deductible and are triggered when a named storm causes the damage. They're typically calculated as a percentage of your home's insured value — 2%, 5%, and higher are common — rather than a flat dollar amount. On a home insured for $300,000 with a 5% hurricane deductible, you're absorbing the first $15,000 of damage before the policy responds. That number surprises a lot of homeowners who assumed their deductible was the flat amount listed on the declarations page.
Flood exclusions are standard across all homeowners policies in Louisiana. Flood damage — rising water, storm surge, overland flooding — is not covered by your homeowners policy regardless of the cause. Flood insurance is a separate product, and in Jefferson Parish it's a genuine necessity rather than an optional add-on. We write flood coverage as well, and we make sure the two policies are explained clearly so you know exactly what each one covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homeowners Insurance Questions from Jefferson Parish Residents
Who still writes homeowners insurance in Louisiana after the hurricanes?
Several private carriers remain active in the Louisiana market, though they're writing more selectively than they were before 2020. Which carriers will consider your property depends on factors like roof age and condition, construction type, your zip code, and your claims history. As an independent agency, we know which carriers are currently active in Jefferson Parish and the Greater New Orleans metro and which ones are realistic options for different property profiles. We start there and work through what's available for your specific situation.
How much has homeowners insurance gone up in Kenner and Jefferson Parish?
Jefferson Parish homeowners saw average rate increases of 34% in 2023, a direct result of carrier exits following the 2020–2021 hurricane seasons and the remaining carriers repricing their books. Rates have stabilized somewhat since then, but Louisiana remains a more expensive homeowners market than it was five years ago. Whether you're overpaying relative to what's available for your property is worth reviewing — an independent agent can compare current options in a way a captive agent tied to one company cannot.
What is Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance and is it a good option?
Louisiana Citizens is the state's insurer of last resort — available to homeowners who can't get coverage through the private market. It's a legitimate option and exists for good reason, but it's generally more expensive than comparable private market coverage when private coverage is available. We shop the private market first and bring Citizens into the conversation only when private options aren't viable or Citizens turns out to be the more practical choice for your property. The goal is making sure you know exactly what the comparison looks like before you decide.
What is the Fortify Homes program and how does it lower my insurance premium?
Louisiana's Fortify Homes program offers grants to qualifying homeowners for roof upgrades built to the Fortified wind-resistance standard. Carriers that recognize the Fortified designation price those roofs as lower risk, and the premium difference can be meaningful — up to 40% in some cases. If your roof is aging or you're looking for a way to reduce your homeowners premium over the long term, it's worth a conversation about whether the Fortified standard makes sense for your property.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding in Louisiana?
No. Standard homeowners policies in Louisiana exclude flood damage — storm surge, rising water, and overland flooding are not covered regardless of what caused them. Flood insurance is a separate policy, typically written through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood carrier. In Jefferson Parish, where more than 84,000 active flood policies are in force, it's a practical necessity for most homeowners. We write both homeowners and flood coverage and make sure you understand how the two policies work together before either is bound.
What is a hurricane deductible and how does it work in Louisiana?
A hurricane deductible is a separate, higher deductible triggered specifically when a named storm causes damage to your home. Unlike your standard flat deductible, hurricane deductibles are usually calculated as a percentage of your home's insured value — commonly 2% to 5%. On a home insured for $300,000, a 5% hurricane deductible means you're responsible for the first $15,000 in covered damage before the policy pays. It's one of the most important details to understand about a Louisiana homeowners policy, and we walk through it before anything is bound.
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Harris General Insurance Agency is a licensed independent insurance agency in Kenner, Louisiana, helping Jefferson Parish homeowners navigate one of the more challenging property insurance markets in the country. Rick Harris has over 10 years of experience in this market — familiar with how Louisiana's post-hurricane carrier landscape has shifted, which carriers are actively writing in Jefferson Parish, and how to have an honest conversation about what's available and what it costs. We serve clients throughout Kenner, Metairie, and the Greater New Orleans metro in English and Spanish. Learn more about our agency on our About page.
10+ Years in Jefferson Parish
Independent Agency
Multiple Carriers
English & Spanish
Real Person Answers Every Call
Let's Take a Closer Look at Your Homeowners Coverage.
Whether you're shopping for the first time, coming up on a renewal, or just not sure if what you have holds up, we're happy to walk through it with you. Call during business hours and we'll have a straight conversation about what's available.