Covington & Slidell Independent Insurance Agents
Protecting Your Assets with a Business Owners Policy
MNot every BOP is built the same. These features deserve a close look before you sign:
Equipment breakdown: May cover electrical or mechanical failure, like a power surge frying an imaging machine's circuit board. Standard property forms often exclude this.
Business income: Typically replaces lost revenue and continuing expenses if a covered loss forces you to close temporarily.
Spoilage coverage: May pay for vaccines or medications lost when refrigeration fails during an outage.
Flood: Usually excluded from a BOP. Practices in flood-prone parts of St. Tammany often need a separate flood policy.
Named storm deductibles: Louisiana policies frequently carry percentage-based hurricane deductibles, so know the dollar figure before storm season.
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the state-backed insurer of last resort for property owners who cannot find coverage in the voluntary private market. It is not meant to be the first stop. Aubert Insurance Agency has served Covington and Slidell since 1910 and can help you understand when Citizens fits and when a private option may serve you better.
Many St. Tammany Parish homeowners first hear about Citizens after a renewal notice they did not expect. Their carrier has pulled back from the area, or the new premium has jumped. Before you sign anything, it helps to know how this program actually works.
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance: A Safety Net for Homeowners
Citizens exists because the private market does not always show up for every property. After major storms, carriers may tighten underwriting, stop writing in certain zip codes, or leave Louisiana entirely. When that happens, a homeowner with a perfectly ordinary house in Slidell can end up with no one willing to write a policy.
State auditors describe Citizens as a residual market. It serves applicants who are entitled to insurance in good faith but cannot get it through the voluntary market. The key word is "residual." Citizens is built to catch people who fall through, not to compete for customers.
That design shapes everything else in this guide, including who qualifies, why the price looks the way it does, and why the state works to move policies back to private carriers. Local Louisiana Citizens insurance agents spend much of their time explaining these trade-offs. They are also checking whether a client really needs Citizens or simply has not had their home shopped widely enough.
On this page
Aubert Insurance Agency is a local, independent agency, licensed to serve individuals and businesses across Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Texas.
We serve clients from our offices in Covington and Slidell and throughout St. Tammany Parish — working with dozens of carriers and wholesale markets to help homeowners, drivers, contractors, restaurant owners, property investors, auto shops, professional practices and many other personal and commercial clients find coverage that fits.
Licensed in Louisiana #3661 · Mississippi #15039075 · Florida #W0772236 · Texas #2381820
Understanding the Named Storm Deductible
A named storm deductible works differently than the flat $500 or $1,000 deductible on your regular claims. In Louisiana, it's often calculated as 2% to 5% of the insured value of your personal property. On a policy with $40,000 in contents coverage, a 5% deductible means the first $2,000 of a hurricane loss is yours.
There's some good news in state law. Louisiana's one-deductible-per-year rule (La. R.S. 22:1337) means you generally pay the named storm deductible only once per calendar year, even if two storms hit your rental. Ask your agent to show you that deductible in dollars, not just a percentage, so you can set aside the right amount in an emergency fund.
How the State's Insurer of Last Resort Works
Citizens runs two separate programs, and many homeowners don't realize which one they are in. The FAIR Plan covers residential and commercial property statewide, while the Coastal Plan provides wind and hail coverage in specific coastal parishes. That split matters on claim day. If you hold a wind-only policy, you will typically need separate coverage for other perils, and possibly flood insurance on top of that.
Funding is the other piece people miss. Citizens does not have a deep pool of private capital like a national carrier does. After catastrophic losses, it can levy Regular Assessments of up to 10% of industry premiums on private insurers. Those costs can work their way back to policyholders across the state, including people who have never held a Citizens policy.
That is why Louisiana regulators pay close attention to the size of Citizens. When the state ended one assessment early, the commissioner admitted the savings were modest. He said that "every little bit helps as we work to create a more available and affordable market." A smaller Citizens generally means less assessment risk for everyone.
With no lender to satisfy, the decision is yours, and so is the entire loss. A total rebuild in this parish runs well into six figures.
Homeowners who own outright
Your lender requires coverage at least equal to the loan, and will buy a policy on your behalf at your expense if yours lapses.
Homeowners with a mortgage
Being named as a certificate holder just means someone receives proof. Being named as an additional insured means your policy may actually defend and pay for that party if they're sued because of your work. General contractors, developers, and property managers ask for this because they get pulled into lawsuits over subcontractor mistakes constantly.
Read the contract language closely. Some agreements require "primary and noncontributory" wording or completed operations coverage for the additional insured, which needs specific endorsements. Many contractors sign a subcontract agreeing to these terms without checking whether their policy includes them. If a claim comes in and the endorsement isn't there, you may be in breach of contract on top of facing the lawsuit.
Actual Cash Value Versus Replacement Cost
Understanding the Valuation Gap
Actual Cash Value (ACV) pays what the damaged item was worth at the time of loss, which means depreciation comes off the top. For an older roof, that deduction can be large. If your roof is 18 years into a 25-year lifespan, an ACV settlement may cover only a fraction of what a new roof costs, and you pay the rest along with your deductible.
Replacement Cost (RC) typically pays what it costs to replace damaged property with new materials of like kind and quality, without subtracting for age. Some carriers pay the ACV portion first and release the remaining amount once repairs are finished, so keep your receipts. On older Bogalusa homes, carriers may offer RC on the dwelling but apply ACV to the roof only. That split is common and easy to miss, so read the roof settlement language before you sign.
There's also a newer option. Louisiana's Act 480 created stated-value policies that let homeowners insure a property for a specific declared amount, such as a mortgage balance, rather than full replacement cost. That may help when rebuilding cost far exceeds what you need protected, but it also means you could be underinsured after a total loss.
Eligibility and the Private Market Offer Rule
You cannot simply call and ask for a Citizens policy. To be eligible, you must have been turned down by at least one private insurance company. In practice, applicants typically need proof of at least one declination from a private insurer authorized to do business in Louisiana. That proof is usually a written declination or a documented refusal your agent obtains while shopping.
The second rule catches people off guard. If a private company offers you a premium equal to or less than the Citizens quote, you must take the private offer. Citizens will not write you just because you prefer it or because you are familiar with the name.
Here is how that plays out. Say a Covington homeowner gets a Citizens quote of $5,800. An independent agent then finds a private carrier willing to write the same home at $5,600. The homeowner is no longer eligible for Citizens and needs to move forward with the private option.
A few common mistakes we see:
- Assuming one bad renewal means no market exists. A nonrenewal from your current carrier does not mean every carrier will say no.
- Comparing premiums without comparing deductibles. A lower premium with a much higher hurricane deductible is not an equal trade.
- Skipping the declination paperwork. Missing documents can stall an application right before hurricane season.
The roof
Age, material and shape drive the wind rate more than any other factor. A fortified roof designation opens markets that would otherwise decline the house.
Evaluating Wind and Tree Exposure Risks
Pine and oak trees are part of why people love living in the Pearl River area. They're also a leading cause of roof claims after tropical storms and severe thunderstorms. A single limb through a roof can open the house to water damage that runs far beyond the cost of the roof repair.
Carriers have noticed. In 2026, more insurers are making trimming of limbs that touch or hang over a roof a condition of renewal. A drive-by or aerial inspection may flag overhanging branches, and you could receive a notice giving you a deadline to fix it. Ignoring that letter can lead to nonrenewal, which makes finding new coverage harder.
The roof itself is the other half of the wind picture. Louisiana offers incentives for stronger roofs, and the state's wind mitigation program details explain how certain construction features can lower your premium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Louisiana insurers must apply a premium reduction of 16% to 49% to the hurricane portion for homes with a certified FORTIFIED roof. If you're planning a roof replacement anyway, it may make sense to price out FORTIFIED certification at the same time.
Also review your named storm or wind deductible. In this part of Louisiana, it's often a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount, so a 5% deductible on a $250,000 home means $12,500 out of pocket.
Your belongings
Personal property covers furniture, clothing, tools and electronics. Jewellery, firearms and silver carry low internal caps, so we schedule those items separately when they are worth more than the cap.
Farm Equipment and Machinery Protection
Tractors, bush hogs, UTVs, and zero-turn mowers are where a lot of Pearl River landowners find gaps. Personal property coverage on a homeowners policy may cover some yard equipment, but it often limits or excludes motorized vehicles and items used for farming or business purposes.
Options depend on how you use the equipment:
- Hobby or property maintenance use: An endorsement or scheduled item on the homeowners policy may work.
- Small-scale farming or hay production: A farm or ranch policy, or an inland marine/equipment floater, typically fits better.
- Off-road vehicles like UTVs: These often need their own policy, especially if driven off your property.
Keep serial numbers and photos of every machine. Theft of tractors and trailers from rural lots is a real claim type, and documentation speeds up recovery.
Why Its Rates Run Above the Market
Sticker shock is the most common complaint about Citizens, and it is intentional. Under Act 757, the mandatory 10% premium surcharge for Louisiana Citizens is suspended for all new and renewal policies issued between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027. The goal is to provide temporary premium relief while the private market stabilizes.
If Citizens were the lowest-priced option, thousands of homeowners would choose it. The state's risk would balloon, and so would the assessment exposure discussed above. The pricing rule protects the broader market, even though it stings for the individual on the receiving end.
There are still ways to manage cost. Citizens policyholders with a Fortified roof designation may be eligible for a baseline 14.5% premium credit. The state has also been putting money behind stronger roofs. As of September 21, 2026, it
invested an additional $20 million into the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program to encourage resilient roofing. If your roof is nearing replacement, that program may be worth a look before you sign a contractor agreement.
With no lender to satisfy, the decision is yours, and so is the entire loss. A total rebuild in this parish runs well into six figures.
Depopulation Take-Out Programs
Depopulation is the state's way of shrinking Citizens by moving policies to private carriers. Under the Take-Out Program in LSA-R.S. 22:2314, private insurers with at least a B+ A.M. Best rating are encouraged to assume policies. Each round reduces the state's concentration of risk.
These happen on a schedule. Round 23 had an assumption date of April 1, 2026, and Round 24 was set for December 1, 2026. Details for each cycle are posted on the state's depopulation page, including the Round 23 and Round 24 materials and the Round 25 process.
If your policy is selected, you will receive an assumption notice telling you it is being moved to a private company. You then have a
limited window to opt out if you want to stay with Citizens. Don't toss these letters in the junk pile. Compare the new carrier's deductibles, exclusions, and renewal terms against your current policy before the deadline passes.
The roof
Age, material and shape drive the wind rate more than any other factor. A fortified roof designation opens markets that would otherwise decline the house.
Evaluating Wind and Tree Exposure Risks
Pine and oak trees are part of why people love living in the Pearl River area. They're also a leading cause of roof claims after tropical storms and severe thunderstorms. A single limb through a roof can open the house to water damage that runs far beyond the cost of the roof repair.
Carriers have noticed. In 2026, more insurers are making trimming of limbs that touch or hang over a roof a condition of renewal. A drive-by or aerial inspection may flag overhanging branches, and you could receive a notice giving you a deadline to fix it. Ignoring that letter can lead to nonrenewal, which makes finding new coverage harder.
The roof itself is the other half of the wind picture. Louisiana offers incentives for stronger roofs, and the state's wind mitigation program details explain how certain construction features can lower your premium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Louisiana insurers must apply a premium reduction of 16% to 49% to the hurricane portion for homes with a certified FORTIFIED roof. If you're planning a roof replacement anyway, it may make sense to price out FORTIFIED certification at the same time.
Also review your named storm or wind deductible. In this part of Louisiana, it's often a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount, so a 5% deductible on a $250,000 home means $12,500 out of pocket.
Your belongings
Personal property covers furniture, clothing, tools and electronics. Jewellery, firearms and silver carry low internal caps, so we schedule those items separately when they are worth more than the cap.
Farm Equipment and Machinery Protection
Tractors, bush hogs, UTVs, and zero-turn mowers are where a lot of Pearl River landowners find gaps. Personal property coverage on a homeowners policy may cover some yard equipment, but it often limits or excludes motorized vehicles and items used for farming or business purposes.
Options depend on how you use the equipment:
- Hobby or property maintenance use: An endorsement or scheduled item on the homeowners policy may work.
- Small-scale farming or hay production: A farm or ranch policy, or an inland marine/equipment floater, typically fits better.
- Off-road vehicles like UTVs: These often need their own policy, especially if driven off your property.
Keep serial numbers and photos of every machine. Theft of tractors and trailers from rural lots is a real claim type, and documentation speeds up recovery.
Wine is fragile in ways most policies ignore. A power outage after a storm can knock out cellar cooling for days, and heat damage ruins bottles even if nothing floods. Some high value policies may cover spoilage from temperature change or mechanical breakdown.
Keep an inventory with photos, vintages, and receipts. A whole-home generator and temperature alarms help both the wine and your insurability.
Climate-Controlled Wine Cellar Protection
Comparing Citizens to the Private Market
| Factor | Louisiana Citizens | Private Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Insurer of last resort | Voluntary market, first option |
| Pricing | 10% surcharge suspended through Dec 31, 2027 | Set by each carrier's rating, may vary widely |
| Eligibility | Requires at least one private declination | Based on carrier underwriting |
| Competing offers | Must take a private offer equal to or lower than Citizens quote | Shop freely among carriers |
| Depopulation | Policies may be taken out by private carriers | May assume Citizens policies (B+ or better rating) |
| Assessment exposure | Can trigger assessments after catastrophes | Policyholders may pay assessment surcharges |
The table makes one thing clear: Citizens trades price for availability. Private carriers typically offer more flexibility, but only if one will write your property.
With no lender to satisfy, the decision is yours, and so is the entire loss. A total rebuild in this parish runs well into six figures.
Frequently Asked Questions About Louisiana Citizens
Not every feature below comes with every high value policy, and specifics vary by carrier. Still, this shows where the two types typically differ.
Can I get a policy if a private company is willing to cover me?
Not if the private offer is equal to or less than the Citizens premium. In that case, you must accept the private policy. You also need proof of at least one declination to apply in the first place.
Why is my Citizens premium so high?
The mandatory 10% premium surcharge for Louisiana Citizens is suspended for all new and renewal policies issued between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027, under Act 757. This provides temporary relief while the state works to keep Citizens from competing with private insurers. A Fortified roof may help lower the cost.
What happens if a private company takes over my policy?
You will receive an assumption notice explaining the move. You typically have a short window to opt out and stay with Citizens. Review the new carrier's terms carefully before that deadline.
Do I need a local agent to buy a Citizens policy?
Citizens policies are written through licensed agents, and a local agent can gather your declinations and shop private options first. That step often determines whether you even need Citizens.
The roof
Age, material and shape drive the wind rate more than any other factor. A fortified roof designation opens markets that would otherwise decline the house.
Evaluating Wind and Tree Exposure Risks
Pine and oak trees are part of why people love living in the Pearl River area. They're also a leading cause of roof claims after tropical storms and severe thunderstorms. A single limb through a roof can open the house to water damage that runs far beyond the cost of the roof repair.
Carriers have noticed. In 2026, more insurers are making trimming of limbs that touch or hang over a roof a condition of renewal. A drive-by or aerial inspection may flag overhanging branches, and you could receive a notice giving you a deadline to fix it. Ignoring that letter can lead to nonrenewal, which makes finding new coverage harder.
The roof itself is the other half of the wind picture. Louisiana offers incentives for stronger roofs, and the state's wind mitigation program details explain how certain construction features can lower your premium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Louisiana insurers must apply a premium reduction of 16% to 49% to the hurricane portion for homes with a certified FORTIFIED roof. If you're planning a roof replacement anyway, it may make sense to price out FORTIFIED certification at the same time.
Also review your named storm or wind deductible. In this part of Louisiana, it's often a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount, so a 5% deductible on a $250,000 home means $12,500 out of pocket.
Your belongings
Personal property covers furniture, clothing, tools and electronics. Jewellery, firearms and silver carry low internal caps, so we schedule those items separately when they are worth more than the cap.
Farm Equipment and Machinery Protection
Tractors, bush hogs, UTVs, and zero-turn mowers are where a lot of Pearl River landowners find gaps. Personal property coverage on a homeowners policy may cover some yard equipment, but it often limits or excludes motorized vehicles and items used for farming or business purposes.
Options depend on how you use the equipment:
- Hobby or property maintenance use: An endorsement or scheduled item on the homeowners policy may work.
- Small-scale farming or hay production: A farm or ranch policy, or an inland marine/equipment floater, typically fits better.
- Off-road vehicles like UTVs: These often need their own policy, especially if driven off your property.
Keep serial numbers and photos of every machine. Theft of tractors and trailers from rural lots is a real claim type, and documentation speeds up recovery.
Making the Right Choice for Your Louisiana Home
Citizens is a safety net, and a useful one when the private market won't cover your property. It comes with built-in trade-offs, though. You need a documented declination, private offers at or below its price come first, its rates sit above the market by design, and your policy may be taken out by a private carrier with little notice.
The homeowners who come out ahead are usually the ones who shop the private market thoroughly before landing on Citizens. They also read every depopulation letter closely. As an independent agency, Aubert Insurance Agency compares multiple carriers in one place. We explain what your policy actually covers, so exclusions and deductibles don't surprise you after a storm.
If you live in Covington, Slidell, or anywhere in St. Tammany Parish, talk with a local agent who knows these rules. We have been doing this since 1910, and we're glad to help you sort it out.
About the Author
Kyle Beerbohm
President
We've been independent since 1910, and four generations of local ownership have kept us that way. We're one of the oldest agencies in St. Tammany Parish and the fourth oldest business in the City of Covington. I treat that history as a responsibility rather than a plaque on the wall. My job is to keep us answering to the families and business owners who walk through our doors, and to keep serving this parish for another hundred years.
Louisiana Insurance Questions, Answered
Questions clients ask us
Short, plain answers to what people ask before they call. Anything else, phone the office and ask.
What does an independent insurance agency do?
We represent you, not one insurance company. We gather your information once, then compare coverage and price across the carriers we hold contracts with. You get choices, and one agent handles the paperwork.
Which types of insurance does Aubert offer?
We write 13 personal lines, including home, auto, flood, boat, and life. We write 15 commercial lines, including business owners policies, general liability, workers compensation, and commercial property.
Do I need flood insurance in St. Tammany Parish?
Your homeowners policy excludes flood, and much of the Northshore has flooded outside mapped high-risk zones. Lenders require it inside those zones. We check your flood zone and quote NFIP and private options.
Which states are you licensed in?
We hold licenses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Texas. License numbers appear in the footer of every page on this site.
How do you find me a competitive rate?
We take your details once and market them to the carriers and wholesale brokers that fit your risk. We compare the offers, explain the differences in coverage, and recommend the strongest fit.
How do I file a claim or request a certificate?
Call the office or use the Client Center on this site. We report the claim, follow the adjuster, and send certificates of insurance to whoever needs them.
Personal Insurance in Louisiana
Coverage for your home, your vehicles, and your family
Thirteen personal lines sit under one roof. Start with the coverage you need most, and we price it across our markets.
Home Insurance
Protect your house, its contents, and your liability with a policy priced across many Louisiana homeowners carriers.
Car Insurance
Cover every driver and vehicle in your household, and compare limits and deductibles side by side before you buy.
Flood Insurance
Standard home policies exclude flood. We write NFIP and private flood coverage for St. Tammany Parish properties.
Umbrella Insurance
Add a layer of liability above your home and auto limits, so one serious claim never reaches your savings.
Boat Insurance
Cover your hull, motor, trailer, and liability on the lake, the river, and the Gulf, wherever you launch.
Life Insurance
Replace your income for the people who depend on it, with term and permanent options we quote across carriers.
Business Insurance in Louisiana
Coverage for the business you built
Fifteen commercial lines, written for the payrolls, fleets, and buildings that Louisiana carriers ask hard questions about.
Contractors Insurance
General contractors, trade contractors and specialty crews. We cover the liability, tools, vehicles and workers your jobs depend on.
Business Owners (BOP)
One policy bundling property and liability for a small business. Straightforward cover for the building, the contents and the risk.
Professional Liability
Protection when your advice or professional work is challenged. A staple of any commercial package for a service business.
Commercial Property
Landlords and commercial real estate investors. We insure the building, the habitation risk and the income it produces.
Workers Compensation
Protecting your employees protects your business. Medical costs and lost wages covered when someone is hurt on the job.
Commercial Auto
Trucks, vans and fleets. We shop a wide range of commercial auto markets to match your vehicles and your drivers.
Business Insurance by Industry
We protect hundreds of businesses of all shapes and sizes
We know the exposures, the contract language, and the markets that write these trades on the Northshore.
Residential General Contractors
Builders risk, general liability, and comp for homebuilders and remodelers working across St. Tammany Parish.
Trade Contractors
Plumbers, electricians, roofers, and painters get liability, tools, and auto coverage that satisfies job requirements.
Restaurants
Property, liquor liability, spoilage, and comp for kitchens, bars, and cafés, including Louisiana association programs.
5-Star Rated by St. Tammany Clients
What Our Clients Say
Neighbours, business owners, and families across Covington and Slidell tell the story better than we can.
Insurance Tips & Local News
Insurance tips for Louisiana homes and businesses
Practical reading on flood zones, hurricane deductibles, and the coverage questions local business owners raise.
Request Your Free Insurance Quote
Tell us what you need covered
Send the form or call the office. A licensed agent in Covington or Slidell answers you directly.
614 E. Boston St., Covington, LA 70433. (985) 892-3101
58418 Tyler Drive, Slidell, LA 70461 · (985) 641-0520
Visit
614 E. Boston St., Covington, LA 70433 — Get Directions
58418 Tyler Drive, Slidell, LA 70461 — Get Directions
