The Breakdown: Who pays most – and least – for homeowner’s insurance in Southeast Louisiana?
WWL Louisiana obtained data on thousands of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation policies through a public records request.
In this bonus-length Breakdown, we’re diving deep into the most and least expensive zip codes for homeowner’s insurance in Louisiana.
WWL Louisiana obtained data on thousands of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation policies through a public records request.
The Data Center helped us analyze only policies with the same deductibles and determine the average cost per zip code for insuring $1,000 in dwelling coverage.
Least Expensive
We’ll start with the least expensive zip codes in our viewing area. The 70443 zip code, Independence, Tangipahoa Parish, pays the least at under nine dollars per thousand dollars in coverage.
We also found lower rates on the North Shore in Mandeville and Loranger, and on the South shore in St. James and St. Charles Parish.
- 70443 - Independence, Tangipahoa
- 70471 - Mandeville, St. Tammany
- 70446 - Loranger, Tangipahoa
- 70723 - Convent, St. James
- 70080 - Paradis, St. Charles
Most populous areas
When we look just at the three most populous areas - St. Tammany, Jefferson, and Orleans - the least expensive zip codes are in Mandeville, Covington, Madisonville. The only one in Orleans was in Lakeview.
- 70471 - Mandeville, St. Tammany
- 70433 - Covington, St. Tammany
- 70435 - Covington, St. Tammany
- 70447 - Madisonville, St. Tammany
- 70124 - Lakeview, Orleans
Some good news: the premiums we found statewide are slightly less expensive overall than what Investigator David Hammer found with 2022 data. They haven’t changed much, but according to Riverlands Insurance Agent Darin Helm, it’s a sign that an out-of-control market is getting better.
“So as we sit here, we do feel like it is stabilizing, but we just know it's going to take some time,” Helm said. “And as more years go by that we don't have storms, you're gonna start seeing a bigger and bigger impact on the market.”
There are some more insurance options now than there were in the wake of the 2022 hurricane season, but Louisiana Citizens is still carrying far more policies than it’s intended to as the insurer of last resort. As of February 2024, it held more than 134,000.
Most costly
And some of those premiums are sky-high. The five most costly zip codes for insurance in Southeast Louisiana include Kenner, Little Woods, the Desire and Pontchartrain Park area, and Houma.
- 70062 - Kenner, Jefferson
- 70127 - New Orleans East/Little Woods, Orleans
- 70126 - Desire/Pontchartrain Park, Orleans
- 70363 - Houma, Terrebonne
- 70364 - Houma, Terrebonne
So what do you do if you’re stuck with Citizens, paying big bucks for coverage?
Helm says to first, look into the fortified roof program. He’s seen customers save thousands after installing a fortified roof.
You can also call your agent and ask what discounts are available or if there are any new companies willing to write a policy on your home. The newer your roof, the better your chances.
“So if you have a property that has a 20-year-old roof, you're really going to struggle right now to find a way to get away from Louisiana Citizens. If you have an updated roof right now, or if you have a roof that's five years or younger? Yes, there are opportunities to find you to get away from Louisiana citizens on to the private market,” Helm said.
If you’ve got an older roof, you may have to sit tight and hope we have a quiet hurricane season.
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