Last week at the Texas Association of Public Insurance Adjuster (TAPIA) Fall Conference, Rene Sigman made the most dramatic speech ever at a public adjuster conference—and did it twice in one day. She stood up to a Texas politician railing about his constituents being harmed by bad laws and bad faith insurance companies. She called … Continue Reading
If you are unhappy or have a complaint with how you were treated by your insurance company or adjuster it’s important to let the Texas Department of Insurance know. Many people do not realize that they can file an official complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance (“TDI”) for various bad acts or mistreatment by … Continue Reading
The Texas Department of Insurance and Texas Insurance Commissioner issued two Consent Orders against contractors for the Unauthorized Practice of Public Adjusting.… Continue Reading
One of the many resources for policyholders with Hurricane Harvey damages and those persons assisting policyholders is the “Help After Harvey” page on the Texas Department of Insurance (“TDI”) web site.1… Continue Reading
Amy Bach, Executive Director of United Policyholders (“UP”), has shared with me the letter she sent to David Mattox (Texas Commissioner of Insurance) on the issue of mandatory arbitration provisions in homeowner policies. Here is a link to that letter for you to read.… Continue Reading
Last week, I posted several suggestions made by Texas policyholders to the Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner regarding their insurance-related concerns. Here are the Commissioner’s responses to two of those suggestions, along with my comments.… Continue Reading
In July, several concerned Texas consumers sent an email to Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman suggesting solutions to the challenges facing the Texas insurance market. Here are some of the proposed suggestions.… Continue Reading
A few weeks ago, I wrote about State Representative John Smithee’s letter to Texas Department of Insurance (“TDI”) Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman, in which he expressed his concerns over the solvency of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (“TWIA”). Rep. Smithee, along with insurance professional David Crump, assessed data showing that TWIA would be unable to pay … Continue Reading
When you think about hail damage in Texas, many of you probably think about the hail storm that hit the Dallas area a few months back. However, Dallas isn’t the only city in Texas ravaged by a severe hail storm recently. McAllen, Texas, is still suffering the effects of not one, but two hail storms … Continue Reading
The Texas Department of Insurance issued a bulletin this week indicating it is targeting contractors and roofing companies that "have been advertising or performing acts that would require them to hold a public insurance adjuster license." The bulletin provided grounds for the public warning: It has come to the attention of the Texas Department of … Continue Reading
If you wanted to find out whether an attorney you were thinking about hiring has ever been disciplined by the Texas Bar, you can find that information online. It is made available to the public by the Texas Bar. The same goes for doctors, nurses, and a bunch of other licensed professionals whose overseeing regulators … Continue Reading
As expected, the Texas Department of Insurance – the government regulator in charge of overseeing the insurance industry (also known as “protecting the public”) – has approved Allstate Texas Lloyd’s request to raise rates across Texas by 5.7%. The Texas Department of Insurance has the ability to deny any requested rate hike if it determines … Continue Reading
Does anybody think that TWIA is doing a "good job" of adjusting hurricane claims other than the private member insurance companies on TWIA’s Board of Directors? In a prior post, TWIA Insurance Claims Under Investigation by Regulators and Media, I noted that the Texas Department of Insurance attorneys are conducting an investigation into activities of … Continue Reading
Back in April, an attorney in our Houston, Texas, office, Javier Delgado, wrote a post for this blog warning TWIA policyholders to be careful when choosing how to challenge a TWIA determination of damage to property (Don’t Be Fooled By Texas Windstorm Insurance Association’s Misleading Letter).… Continue Reading
The seminar our firm hosted for public adjusters went extremely well, with very practical information exchanged between adjusters, engineers, and attorneys. The Texas Department of Insurance had an attorney from its enforcement division attend. I felt it was a significant learning experience for her as well. Most people do not understand how complicated evaluating damage … Continue Reading
A Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) attorney familiar with the ongoing investigation will be at the Public Adjuster Seminar we are hosting tomorrow in Houston.… Continue Reading
I have been involved in a lot of disputed property insurance claims in many venues over the past twenty-five years where emotions run high, but the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) is the blue ribbon winner in Texas for policyholders that hate how they have been treated. And, it is not just limited to the … Continue Reading
Mary Fortson has been quite busy working with Jim Beneke and Art Jansen reinstating the non-profit and corporate status of TAPIA for the past several months. With that accomplished, there will be an introductory meeting to which all licensed Texas public insurance adjusters are welcome and encouraged to attend immediately following the Merlin Law Group Hurricane … Continue Reading
Merlin Law Group will host a seminar in Houston, Texas, for public insurance adjusters close to the anniversary of Hurricane Ike. I promise that this will be dedicated to a "lay of the land" regarding tips and strategies for public insurance adjusters to service policyholders with quicker and fuller resolutions. Appraisal and the processes and techniques … Continue Reading
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) has a new operations plan and laws that affect it, assuming Governor Perry signs the legislation. The good news for TWIA policyholders is that the consumer protections of Chapter 541 are still in place. The bad news is that I predict rates are going to increase substantially.… Continue Reading
What happened to the time when a significant insurance coverage decision arrived and everybody in my line of work analyzed that topic for several years? Now, the insurance industry is writing so many new and differently worded forms, it is hard to rely upon case decisions as being of widespread significance. If a case decision … Continue Reading
On June 4, 2009, Merlin Law Group will host the second in a series of seminars for Texas-licensed public adjusters: Texas Hold ‘Em #2—Down to the Nitty Gritty of Adjustment—Nine Months After Ike, at the Hotel Derek in Houston, Texas. Response to the first seminar was very favorable with many public adjusters asking when we … Continue Reading
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association says you only have 30 days to appeal its determination of damage to your property! DO NOT RUSH TO APPEAL before you learn what TWIA is not telling you; you will give up valuable legal rights and remedies.… Continue Reading