WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, said he was "outraged" at some insurers' response to storm claims.
Lott said he had included a U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigation of potential insurance fraud in a new bill recently signed by U.S. President George Bush and wanted to look into the industry's antitrust exemptions.
The former Senate majority leader, who lost his $400,000 Gulf Coast home to Katrina, told The New York Times he was angry at what he called "insensitivity and outright meanness" in rejecting many homeowners' claims.
State Farm rejected Lott's own claim for his Pascagoula, Miss., home, the Times said.
Insurance executives denied fraudulent behavior and some in the industry questioned whether Lott was improperly using his congressional position, the Times said.
