The Texas House voted to prohibit insurance companies from selling stripped down “named driver” auto insurance policies this week. These cut-rate, low coverage policies have become more prevalent in the Texas market as some insurance companies market them to drivers, many of whom don’t know their coverage has been slashed.

What’s wrong with named driver policies? Because of the gaping holes in these policies:

• More uninsured drivers are on the road;
• Innocent drivers are forced to bear the cost of repairs and medical expenses after an accident; and
• The cost of uninsured motorist coverage is more expensive for drivers with meaningful coverage.

The bill, HB 1773 by Rep. Ed Thompson, bans the use of named-driver policies outright, ensuring that anyone who drives your car is covered under your insurance policy unless you choose to specifically exclude them. As Rep. Craig Eiland said during the debate, the bill “stops the sale of junk policies that mislead people and don’t give them coverage.” (more…)

Property owners are beginning to assess the damage to their homes and businesses following the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. Here are some tips for families and policyholders when dealing with their insurance company. (more…)

By intensely wide margins, Texas voters believe that insurance customers who have claims unfairly denied, delayed, or underpaid should have easier access to the courts with stiff penalties for insurers engaged in such conduct, according to a recent statewide public opinion survey conducted by Hill Research Consultants, a nationally known Republican opinion-research firm.

This session insurance lobbyists and their clients are working hard to restrict your access to the courts if you believe your insurance company has handled your claim unfairly. And, they have filed a boatload of bad bills to do just that.

So, we commissioned the statewide public opinion survey to find out what Texas voters think. The message is clear. Texas voters – across all geographic, partisan, and political lines – want stronger legal protections from rogue insurance companies. They believe that insurance companies routinely drag out lawsuits, and they want the courts – not state agency bureaucrats – resolving disputes between claimants and insurance companies.

And, 7 in 10 voters will reward legislators who believe it should be easier (or at least not harder) for a policyholder who believes their insurance claim has been handled unfairly to hire an attorney to represent their interests. 51% hold this position”strongly.”

The results speak for themselves. Check them out for yourself.

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