Anyone who thought the fallout from Hurricane Katrina would pass by now was sadly mistaken. Trial lawyers are still hammering away at carriers for leaving many policyholders with both wind- and water-related claims up the creek, and some fear a long-term impact on how catastrophic claims are litigated. I tend to agree with the pessimists. I always expect the worst when it comes to the industry's reputation, and I am rarely disappointed.

The day before this week's second anniversary of the day Katrina struck, the American Association for Justice–a group of plaintiff attorneys masquerading as an objective organization–put out a 15-page diatribe whose title said it all: Pattern of Greed 2007: How Insurance Companies Put Profits over Policyholders.

The group charged insurers with systematically denying policyholders fair and just” payment on their Katrina claims. (You can read our complete news story on the report by clicking here, and you can access the full report by clicking here.)