A recent Texas Administrative Proceeding involving a public adjuster1 highlighted what public adjusters have to fear if investigated by a Department of Insurance. In the Texas case, here were the areas of inquiry:
Continue Reading What Do Public Adjusters Have To Fear From Regulators? — The Loss of Your Public Adjuster License
As a Merlin Law Group Texas attorney, I have the distinct privilege of working directly with Rene Sigman, the Regional Litigation Manager running the firm’s Texas operation. As a mentor, Rene has gone above and beyond to show me the complex ropes for handling first-party property insurance cases in Texas. Rene’s unparalleled work ethic coupled with her passion for our clients’ best interest was more than apparent recently when we recovered multiple favorable settlements for commercial and residential policyholders. During this time, we noticed something interesting about one of the insured’s contracts with her public adjuster. The contract was incomplete and did not comply with the Texas Administrative Code, which governs public insurance adjuster contracts.
Continue Reading Texas Public Insurance Adjuster Contract Requirements
Last week the Supreme Court of Texas weighed in on a longstanding dispute regarding the decision by Farmers Group Inc. (“Farmers”) to replace their HO-B homeowner policies with less comprehensive HO-A policies, back in 2001.1 Following an influx of mold claims in Texas, Farmers and other insurers decided to replace their HO-B policies, a broad “all-risk” policy, with narrower HO-A policies, or “named peril” policies.
Continue Reading The Insurance Coverage Gap Worsens—Farmers Policy Changes Approved
Commissioner’s Bulletins issued by the Texas Department of Insurance (“TDI”) do not have the force of law of a statute, but they do express and declare TDI’s interpretation or position on certain issues and existing laws. These bulletins also contain recommendations and help insurers and consumers understand how the business of insurance should be conducted in Texas. A review of the most recent Commissioner’s Bulletin B-0010-21 issued on March 9, 2021, provides a good example of a bulletin’s purpose.
Continue Reading Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner’s Bulletins Re: Severe Winter Weather Claims
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 him out for voting against policyholders.
Continue Reading Rene Sigman is a Rebel with a Cause—Stopping Laws and Regulations That Harm Policyholders
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 the insurance company or its adjusters or other personnel. The process is actually quite simple.
Continue Reading The Texas Department of Insurance Deserves to Know Your Complaints About an Insurance Company or Adjuster
The Texas Department of Insurance and Texas Insurance Commissioner issued two Consent Orders against contractors for the Unauthorized Practice of Public Adjusting.
Continue Reading Unauthorized Practice of Public Adjusting Orders Issued Against Contractors
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 Help After Harvey—Texas Department of Insurance Web Site
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.
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 TDI Commissioner’s Message to Concerned Texas Insurance Consumers, Part 2