Mississippi Court Denies Bid for Katrina Claims Data

The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a Long Beach man who wanted the state to release records that would show the dollar amount of Hurricane Katrina claims denied by insurance companies.

In 2009, Kevin Buckel submitted a public records request for records showing the total amount of damages homeowners claimed, the total amount paid and the total amount denied by private property insurance companies.

The Department of Insurance said it did not have such records.

The Supreme Court last weeky upheld a Hinds County judge’s dismissal of Buckel’s lawsuit.

Buckel had said he wanted the information to support his push for a Policyholders Bill of Rights. Bills have died in the Legislature for the past three years.

Miss Supreme Court Buckel v Chaney