• A 4.9 magnitude earthquake, the strongest in Louisiana’s onshore history, struck near Shreveport.
• Standard homeowner’s insurance policies typically do not cover earthquake damage.
• Property owners can purchase add-on earthquake coverage, which is generally inexpensive in low-risk areas like Louisiana.
• Despite the low cost, the deductible for earthquake insurance is usually high.

Thursday’s earthquake that shook furniture and rattled pipes in the Shreveport region may have some property owners wondering whether they should consider buying insurance to cover them from potential stronger movement in the future.

The 4.9 magnitude earthquake that struck just north of Coushatta at 5:30 a.m. March 5 was the strongest onshore event in Louisiana history.

No structural damage has been reported from Thursday’s earthquake so far, but the strength of the movement may have been enough to raise concern.

“If people are concerned they should call their insurance agent and explore pricing and options,” Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said in an interview with USA Today Network.

“It’s not an issue that has come up often in Louisiana, but if coverage can alleviate anxiety and risk it’s absolutely something homeowners and property owners should consult their agent about,” he said.

Earth movement or subsidence insurance is generally excluded from homeowners’ policies, as is flood insurance, but property owners can secure the coverage through their insurers as an add-on, called an endorsement.

Eugene Montgomery, owner of Community Financial Insurance Center in northern Louisiana, said a subsidence endorsement to cover earthquake damage would generally be inexpensive in Louisiana because of the low risk.

“The coverage itself is inexpensive, but the deductible would be high,” Montgomery told USA Today Network.

That’s the case for one Shreveport homeowner who asked not to be identified. The homeowner secured a subsidence endorsement following Thursday’s earthquake that cost $120 per year after discounts with a 10% deductible.

Republican state Sen. Adam Bass, who also operates an Allstate agency in Bossier, said most people won’t buy an add-on that’s not required by their mortgage holders no matter how inexpensive it is.

Bass said he hasn’t had any inquiries about earth movement insurance during his career.

But Montgomery said he remembers a temporary spike in those policies in 1990 when climatologist Iben Brown predicted a major earthquake would strike the New Madrid Fault in Missouri on Dec. 3 of that year, a forecast that flopped.

“It really created a little bit of a panic,” Montgomery said. “Everybody wanted insurance for a short period of time.”

Montgomery doesn’t expect a similar run on earthquake after Thursday’s event, but said he won’t be surprised if some level of interest increases.

“When people can actually feel the earth moving it gets their attention,” he said.

Louisiana earthquake shakes houses: Shreveport earthquake shakes people awake, rattles pipes, furniture

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

WASHINGTON (WAFB) — President Donald Trump has removed Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her. Noem will take on the role of Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation responded to the change in leadership.

Kennedy clash preceded removal

Noem led DHS since the beginning of Trump’s second term. One of the most noted controversies of her tenure was the department’s spending of $220 million on television ads across the country, which drew scrutiny from Sen. John Kennedy during a committee hearing.

“Did the President know you were going to do this?” Kennedy asked during the hearing.

“Yes,” Noem replied.

Kennedy said the spending and other issues had weighed on him.

“You just add all of this up and the other turmoil and it’s been stuck in my craw,” Kennedy said. “I want to secure the border and I want to enforce our immigration laws, but I’m tired of trying to explain behavior that is inexplicable to me.”

Louisiana delegation reacts

Congressman Cleo Fields wrote on X that Noem “was not qualified to lead one of the most critical agencies in our federal government, and her tenure made it clear that she was not the right person for this role,” adding that “there is far too much at stake for anything less than exemplary leadership.”

Congressman Troy Carter, who held a congressional hearing in New Orleans regarding DHS issues, said that under Noem’s leadership, DHS and ICE “repeatedly carried out aggressive immigration operations without proper coordination with local leaders, disregarded due process, and created fear and instability in communities that deserve respect and protection under the law.”

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Sen. Bill Cassidy said on social media that “securing the border is one of President Trump’s greatest achievements” and that he looks forward “to continue that success and ensure FEMA delivers for Louisiana families.”

As with all cabinet positions, Mullin will need to go through Senate confirmation to gain the cabinet seat. It is unclear when confirmation hearings will take place.

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