Live Insurance News

Texas Department of Insurance warns of rate hikes

January 14, 2013April 30, 2013

Highest property insurance rates in the United States found in Texas

Texas Department of Insurance predicts rate hikes for 2013 Thousands of Texans are expected to see significant rate hikes for their health insurance coverage this year, largely due to the Affordable Care Act. The Texas Department of Insurance expects that more than 163,000 consumers throughout the state will see double-digit increases in their premiums due to the provisions of the federal health care law. The law does not go into full effect until 2014, but several of its provisions will be enacted this year in an effort to ease the…

Homeowners insurance policyholders in Texas face highest premiums

December 22, 2012 Julie Campbell

Residents of the state are paying the largest amount for their coverage when compared to all other states. According to recently released data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), residents of Texas are still paying the highest premiums for their homeowners insurance coverage. Though this remains the case, two other states on the Gulf Coast have rates that are nearly as high. In 2010, the average annual premiums paid by Texas homeowners insurance customers for the most commonly sold policy had been listed at $1,560. That amount was…

91% of Texans to be insured by 2014, thanks to the Affordable Care Act

March 2, 2012March 2, 2012 Marc

The Texas Medicaid Director, Billy Millwee, spoke to the House Public Health and Insurance committees this week regarding the Affordable Care Act. The director has been tracking the trends and effects that the federal health care law has birthed in the state and has come to a promising conclusion. Currently, 74% of the state’s residents have some form of health insurance coverage. Millwee claims that when the Affordable Care Act is fully enacted in 2014, this will jump to 91%. By that time, only 2.3 million Texans will have no…

Texas governor appoints new head of the state’s Department of Insurance

July 23, 2011 Marc

The Texas Department of Insurance is in for a shakeup as Governor Rick Perry announced Wednesday that a new Insurance Commissioner is on the way. Eleanor Kitzman, once the executive director of the South Carolina Budget and Control Board, has been appointed to the position and will take the reins of the office beginning next month. Her term will span until February 1, 2013, giving Kitzman ample time to affect change in the state’s insurance industry. Kitzman will be replacing former Commissioner Mike Geeslin who held the office for several…

Texas residents received fraudulent windstorm inspections, may not be eligible for coverage

July 7, 2011 Marc

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, the state-run insurance program that is one of the very few places offering coverage against wind damage to Texas residents, will continue to offer insurance coverage thanks to a special session of the state’s Legislature. Lawmakers toiled over the issue for some time, often unable to meet a consensus on what should be done about the indebted program. The decision was made some weeks ago that the program should continue, but with changes. Along with these changes come new home inspections, which will determine whether…

The fate of the Texas state run wind pool still undecided

June 4, 2011May 15, 2013

Texas lawmakers will be convening in a special session of Senate after they were unable to determine the fate of the state’s Windstorm Insurance Association. The state-run insurance program provides coverage to homeowners in coastal areas that are prone to hurricanes. A bill to reform the program was before the state Senate last months, but legislators were unable to reach a compromise regarding the provisions of the bill. Now, the Legislature will be in session until a verdict can be reached. One of the provisions of the bill to reform…

Texas Department of Insurance receives long awaited extension

May 25, 2011May 24, 2011 Marc

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…