Michael Finch Ii
Baton Rouge Advocate
New Orleans, LA, United States
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Past articles by Mike:
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says he won't seek re-election
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said Tuesday morning that he won't seek re-election this fall. → Read More
Louisiana regulators continue allowing weak insurers to take on risky policies
After four insurers failed in late 2021, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon put the fate of thousands of Louisiana homeowners in the hands of little-known Safepoint Insurance Co. → Read More
Insurance bailout fund crippled by lawsuits, claims as Louisiana policyholders wait for relief
If it weren’t for a healthy savings account, Rosanna “Roshi” Mason might still be living in a cramped disaster relief trailer in her front yard with her husband and two → Read More
Urgent action on insurance incentives rebuffed by Louisiana lawmakers
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon’s request to fast-track funding for an incentive program was rebuffed by state lawmakers this week, leaving the effort in limbo until the next legislative session starts → Read More
Amid crisis in Louisiana insurance marketplace, top regulator pleads for action on incentives
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said he might ask political leaders to convene a special session in early 2023 if two legislative committees do not approve his plans to relaunch → Read More
Low ratings didn’t disqualify weak insurers from taking risky policies from Louisiana Citizens
State lawmakers created one rule that insurers had to follow if they wanted to take over risky policies carried by the state-run insurer of last resort, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance → Read More
Louisiana Citizens rate increases will be as high as 111% in some parishes
The unlucky residents who rely on the state’s insurer of last resort pay the most for property insurance coverage in the state. → Read More
Amid crisis, Louisiana auditor urges insurance regulators to scrutinize undervaluing of property
The Louisiana Legislative Auditor is urging insurance regulators to dig deeper into why nearly a dozen insurers folded as they struggled to pay claims after four powerful hurricanes made landfall → Read More
Here are the Louisiana insurers that have gone broke or left the state amid deepening crisis
Louisiana is in the middle of a property insurance crisis: As of this week, nine insurance companies that wrote homeowners policies in the state have gone belly-up since a series → Read More
Ninth insurer in Louisiana goes under; here's what it means for 1,500 open claims
Fednat Insurance Co., a Florida-based insurer with a presence in Louisiana, has been steered into insolvency by regulators after struggling to pay existing claims. It’s the ninth company with policies → Read More
Louisiana Citizens wants 63% rate increase for homeowners' policies amid failures
Louisiana Citizens Insurance Corp., the state’s insurer of last resort, wants to raise its already-high prices by more than half, following a dramatic increase in demand for coverage after eight → Read More
Louisiana’s homeowners insurance market unraveling under the weight of 600,000 claims
Failed insurance companies. Multi-billion dollar losses. Consumers on edge. → Read More
CA vaccine laws have worked, study finds. More kindergarten students start school up to date
After a measles outbreak in 2013, California lawmakers passed a series of new laws that put restrictions on the number of children who could be exempted from vaccinations. They also launched an education campaign among staff at kindergartens. → Read More
When your school is a health center. How clinics offer lifeline for uninsured kids
School-based health programs have been around for decades. Although California has extended Medi-Cal to financially stressed children, the role of such programs is more pivotal than ever. → Read More
Why ‘technical’ violations are still sending ex-cons back to California lockups
Parole and probation are supposed to help lower the number of people in jails and prison. New data shows California spent $235 million to house ex-cons sent back to jail for violations of supervised release. → Read More
Rents are up in Sacramento, but housing market is slowing down. Here’s why.
Homes values were still up slightly since last year in six California metro areas except for San Jose where values declined by nearly 6 percent. In Sacramento, homes values fell by a modest one-tenth of a point in May → Read More
Sacramento Officer Tara O’Sullivan killed on one of most dangerous police calls: Domestic violence
Police officers like Tara O’Sullivan responding to domestic violence calls face danger. A Sacramento man with a history of violence was arrested and charged with shooting O’Sullivan. A look at training and risks in California. → Read More
How well does California care for children? New report ranks state just below Kentucky
In many ways, the report reflects a familiar story for the state: Prosperity is unevenly divided, the education system is inadequate and families are worse off because of the shortcomings in public programs. → Read More
Sacramento city schools could save millions on teachers’ health care. Will union play ball?
The Sacramento City Unified School District wants to shave millions in health care spending to ease pressure on its budget, a move that will likely lead to further conflict with its most powerful employee group: the teachers union. → Read More
Gavin Newsom is using the Obamacare playbook to count Californians in the 2020 census
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying some unusual strategies to encourage hard-to-count populations, including undocumented immigrants and the uninsured, to participate in the 2020 census. → Read More