Homeowner will protest Senate Insurance Committee Chairman for not allowing a vote on Homeowners Bill of Rights HB563
Press Release
Homeowner will protest Senate Insurance Committee Chairman for not allowing a vote on Homeowners Bill of Rights HB563
Contact: 228-343-2245 msinsurancebill@cableone.net www.msbillofrights.com
Long Beach homeowner Kevin Buckel, who lost his home in Hurricane Katrina only to be paid $1000 on his initial homeowner claim, will stage a one man protest in the Senate Lobby on Wednesday February 24th from 10am till 5pm.
Rep. Diane Peranich introduced HB563 Homeowner Bill of Rights for Buckel which improves all homeowners’ rights in the state when buying insurance and filing a claim. The bill passed the House 107-7, but for the 3rd year in a row, Chairman Eugene Clarke will not allow a vote on the Legislation. Buckel believes the insurance lobby is responsible for getting the peoples vote denied.
HB563 would place the Burden of Proof on insurance companies on an exclusion when a claim is denied, which is consistent with a recent court ruling, place reasonable time frames on payment of claims when a claim is approved, 30 day notice on premium increase of 10% or more, and equal treatment when filing a claim based on actuary principles.
These are the same rights that homeowners have in other states that border the Gulf of Mexico but are not afforded to homeowners in MS. Buckel said he is fighting for these rights because they especially protect the poor, elderly and homeowners who do not have the means to fight back when being unfairly treated by an insurance company.
On Tuesday February 16th a staff member from Lt. Governor Phil Bryant’s office contacted Buckel and informed him Chairman Clarke will not allow a vote on HB563. Buckel will protest this decision and has asked the committee members:
Eugene S. Clarke, Chairman; Bennie L. Turner, Vice-Chairman
Members: Terry W. Brown; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Bob M. Dearing; Billy Hewes; John Horhn; Kenneth Wayne Jones; Tom King; Dean Kirby; Alan Nunnelee; Michael Watson; Lee Yancey
to stand with him for 15 minutes as a show of support. Not one senator has responded. Buckel said he is especially disappointed in Senator Billy Hewes and coast Senators who has a significant influence in the senate and witnessed firsthand what happened to coast residents after Katrina for not supporting a vote on this legislation. I have also asked Commissioner Mike Chaney and Lt Governor Phil Bryant for support on getting a vote, but they have not responded to help give the people a vote on legislation that helps all homeowners in the state.
Buckel said all I want is a vote. We are starving for some leadership, and the leaders in the Senate and Commissioner Chaney are failing the people.