§1318. Valued policy clause; exceptions

A. Under any fire insurance policy insuring inanimate, immovable property in this state, if the insurer places a valuation upon the covered property and uses such valuation for purposes of determining the premium charge to be made under the policy, in the case of total loss the insurer shall compute and indemnify or compensate any covered loss of, or damage to, such property which occurs during the term of the policy at such valuation without deduction or offset, unless a different method is to be used in the computation of loss, in which latter case, the policy, and any application therefor, shall set forth in type of equal size, the actual method of such loss computation by the insurer. Coverage may be voided under said contract in the event of criminal fault on the part of the insured or the assigns of the insured.

B. Any clause, condition, or provision of a policy of fire insurance contrary to the provisions of this Section shall be null and void, and have no legal effect. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent any insurer from cancelling or reducing, as provided by law, the insurance on any property prior to damage or destruction.

C. The liability of the insurer of a policy of fire insurance, in the event of total or partial loss, shall not exceed the insurable interest of the insured in the property unless otherwise provided for by law. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to preclude the insurer from questioning or contesting the insurable interest of the insured.

D. This Section shall apply only to policies issued or renewed after January 1, 1992, and shall not apply to a loss covered by a blanket-form policy of insurance. As used in this Section, the term "fire insurance policy" shall mean any property insurance policy, with the exception of builders risk policies of insurance, that provides coverage for the peril of fire, regardless of any other coverage provided by the policy.

Acts 1991, No. 850, §1; Acts 1995, No. 737, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:695 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2014, No. 91, §1.