Texas department of insurance Archives

Could Unbundling Save You Money? What Texas Insurance Bill Says

March 13, 2025March 13, 2025 Anna Cruise

Texas Debates Mandatory Insurance Bundling as Senate Bill 213 Gains Momentum Texas lawmakers, regulators, and consumer advocates are deep in discussions over the controversial practice of insurance bundling. At the heart of the debate is Senate Bill 213, introduced by State Senator Royce West, which seeks to make it illegal for insurance companies to require customers to bundle their home and auto insurance policies with the same provider as a condition for coverage. This pushback against mandatory bundling comes amid growing concerns from policyholders and consumer groups who argue that…

Texas Senate Bill 1246 Proposes State-Run Auto Insurance Program

February 25, 2025February 24, 2025 Nordstrom

With insurance premiums steadily climbing and accessibility becoming a key concern, Texas lawmakers are pushing for change through Senate Bill 1246 (SB 1246). This groundbreaking proposal introduces a state-administered auto insurance option, aiming to improve affordability and competition in the auto insurance market. Sponsored by State Senator Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), the bill brings the promise of accessible coverage for millions of Texans while challenging the dominance of private insurers. Affordable Auto Insurance for Texans SB 1246 seeks to establish a public auto insurance program administered by the Texas Department…

Can AI Really Decide Your Medical Needs? Texas Says Not Alone

January 28, 2025January 27, 2025 Ben Jones

Texas Senator Pushes for Stricter AI Regulations in Health Insurance Claims AI in Health Insurance: A Double-Edged Sword The health insurance industry is increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline processes like patient claims. AI promises faster results, reduced administrative costs, and fewer delays. However, as Texas lawmaker Senator Charles Schwertner highlights with his recently proposed legislation, this growing reliance on AI also comes with serious risks—especially when AI systems replace human expertise in critical medical decisions. Schwertner introduced a bill on January 16 that aims to limit the…

Health insurance scams are targeting consumers in Texas

December 10, 2015December 9, 2015 Nordstrom

Texas consumers are facing a new wave of scams that could leave them exposed to risks Low-income individuals living in Texas are being targeted by scams that seek to profit off their enrollment in the state’s health insurance exchange, as well as enrollment in HealthCare.gov. Enroll America, a non-profit organization offering free information concerning the enrollment process, has noted that there has been an increase in the sales tactics used to target low-income consumers. The organization suggests that many of these practices could actually be illegal as scammers are charging…

Homeowners insurance rates in Texas are set to spike yet again

October 30, 2015October 28, 2015 Marc

Homeowners in Texas will see an increase in their insurance premiums next year Residents of Texas are seeing their homeowners insurance premiums grow. The state is home to the third highest homeowners insurance rates in the United States, with the average annual premium being $1,745. The Texas Department of Insurance notes that these premiums have grown by more than 26% between 2010 and 2014. Only Florida and Louisiana have higher homeowners insurance premiums, on average. For some homeowners, premiums are growing by a greater margin than what others are seeing.…

Farmers reaches settlement in homeowners insurance case

July 10, 2015July 9, 2015 S.Vagus

Insurer finalizes a settlement for a lawsuit that it has been fighting since 2002 Many Texas residents may receive refunds from Farmers Insurance Group as the company has reached a settlement in a lawsuit from 2002. The lawsuit involves policyholders paying higher premiums for less coverage, and state regulators found that this had been the case after examining many complaints issued against the company. The insurer will be paying $84.4 million per the settlement, which will be issued to policyholders that are eligible for refunds from the company. State regulators…

The majority of insurance companies aren’t transparency law compliant

January 2, 2015December 31, 2014 Julie Campbell

Texas has become unable to determine whether or not the plans are meeting the needs of consumers. Texas recently implemented a new regulation for health insurance companies that required them to have to submit reports to the state Department of Insurance in order to help to protect consumers against unfairly high medical bills, but many insurers have been ignoring this requirement, so far. At the same time, officials in the state haven’t done very much to help to improve compliance. Under the new regulations, insurance companies are supposed to be…