A new report from Texas Watch, a consumer advocacy group promoting transparency in the insurance industry, shows that Farmers Insurance, the third largest insurance organization in the state, boasts of the most consumer complaints in the state. The report’s findings are based on data collected by state insurance regulators between the periods of October 2010 and September 2011. According to the report, Farmers has garnered a great deal of consumer complaint for their handling of homeowner claims. In regards to the report, Farmers spokesman Jerry Davies noted that its credibility…
Read MoreTag: Texas department of insurance
State Farm petitions Texas insurance regulators to deem the state’s wildfires an official catastrophe
Texas has been battling an outbreak of wildfires since the beginning of September. The fires have wrought carnage throughout the state, burning more than 1 million acres and more than 1,000 homes. The catastrophe has put enormous pressure on the state’s insurers who have been struggling to mitigate the damage caused by the fires. The disaster is so serious that State Farm Insurance has petitioned the Texas Department of Insurance to designate the wildfires as an official catastrophe. The petition was submitted to the Department on September 12, but regulators…
Read MoreOver 20 percent of drivers in Texas aren’t insured
In Texas, more than 1 in every 5 drivers does not have adequate auto insurance to comply with the laws within that state. According to a recent report by the Texas Department of Insurance, 21.6 percent of all of the drivers in the state were operating their vehicles while uninsured. Dallas County had the largest number of uninsured drivers among the most populated counties in the state, with 24.1 percent of its drivers lacking insurance. Bexar county followed closely behind with 22.9 percent of drivers being uninsured. In the entire…
Read MoreTexas Department of Insurance receives long awaited extension
Lawmakers in Texas voted to extend the longevity of the state’s Department of Insurance. The department will also enjoy more authority over the insurance industry and will be able to impose stricter penalties when companies challenge the agency’s rate assertions and lose. The relevance of the Department had been debated for some time before a decision was reached Monday. Many legislators say that the ruling was long overdue. According to Texas law, state agencies must be evaluated for effectiveness every 12 years. Legislators determine whether these agencies provide a necessary…
Read MoreTexas insurance bill promises transparency
Texas is making a move to ensure the transparency of the state’s insurance industry. Legislators are toiling over a bill, dubbed the Texas Insurance Awareness and Affordability Act, which will require insurers to provide exhaustive information regarding any changes in policies. There have been growing concerns about how insurers determine their rate hikes recently, driving demand for more transparency. The bill is seeking to garner explanations on proposed premium increases in a language that everyone can understand. State insurers would be requires, upon changes in policy, to provide a side-by-side…
Read More
