A Republican committee leader accused insurance executives of profiting off natural disasters, saying that “there needs to be some accountability” for the entire industry.
Sen. Josh Hawley grilled executives from State Farm and Allstate in a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee hearing he chaired Tuesday. The Missouri Republican repeatedly slammed the insurance giants, arguing that they are delivering paltry payouts after extreme weather events, including last year’s Hurricane Helene.
“Time after time [people] find when disaster strikes, in their moment of utmost need, the insurance companies come back to them and they delay and they deny and they offer excuses,” Hawley said during the hearing. “It’s not a one-off situation. It’s not like it’s happened to just one family. It is a deliberate strategy to maximize profits.”
Hawley, who leads the Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia and Census, diverged from typical GOP messaging in his push against the insurance industry. Sen. Ashley Moody of Florida was the only other Republican to speak during the panel, also in condemnation of insurance industry practices.
