As if residents of Southeast Texas don’t have enough to worry about, a new state insurance law is set to change on Friday, and the change will make if far more difficult for home and business owners to sue insurance companies over disputed or unpaid claims, reports Ella Nilsen.
“On Facebook, some lawyers have been advising Houston-area residents to file their insurance claims before the new law kicks in at the end of the week,” says Nilsen.
Texas House Bill 1774, which the Republican-majority Texas legislature passed during its last legislative session, gives Texas property owners little legal recourse if insurance companies don’t pay on their claims.
Texans: be sure to file for #Harvey relief before Sept 1. #TXlege passed a bill making it harder to dispute weather-related property claims.
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) August 28, 2017
While the new law won’t impact the majority of Texans who have flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Administration, it will impact those with private insurance.
On Monday, the Houston Chronicle reported that private insurers had already received thousands of claims from the storm.
96,000 people have been approved for FEMA help as of this morning. Have to wonder how much they will get. Time will tell.
This law actually affects people with private insurance. Insurance thru FEMA is federal and unaffected, for now. But given this administration’s hatred of regulation and any and all Obama rules, this may change.