The FAIR Plan increases rates statewide, effective August 1

The FAIR Plan increases rates statewide, effective August 1

Rates for most FAIR Plan policyholders will increase effective Aug, 1, based on rate filings approved by Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner Doug Slape on April 22. Despite the FAIR Plan Association noting overall rate deficiencies of 15 percent or more across several...
Coastal legislators take aim at TWIA’s board and rates

Coastal legislators take aim at TWIA’s board and rates

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association dodged the full wrath of coastal lawmakers in the legislative session that ended May 31. Still, the session ended with the legislature passing four bills directly affecting TWIA. Senate Bill 1448, HB 2920, HB 769 and HB 3564...
IIAT announces June 30 retirement of Jim Gavin

IIAT announces June 30 retirement of Jim Gavin

Twenty years into providing technical assistance to agents through continuing education, agency training, telephone or email questions and answers, and more recently subbing as Ask Regina for the late Regina Anderson, Jim Gavin, 70, is retiring from the Independent...
Two penalized by default order petition for second chance

Two penalized by default order petition for second chance

Two Texans, whose insurance licenses came in jeopardy in April by default order, appealed to the Texas Department of Insurance to reconsider the action. El Paso agent Salvador Villarreal Jr.’s case was reopened; Texarkana resident Tyrone T. Johnson did not fare as...
Duggan Hale moves up to become president of the AAIP

Duggan Hale moves up to become president of the AAIP

Jill Duggan Hale moved up to president of the Austin Association of Insurance Professionals even though her current role is less directly thought of as insurance. Now on the benefits side, Hale is in partnership development at Magnolia Hospice, where she works...
Nearly all SLTX filers submit required policy limits data

Nearly all SLTX filers submit required policy limits data

The Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas is now nearly 30 months into collecting policy limits as part of the required data entry by surplus lines agents filing policies with the office. Compliance with the requirement got off to a slow start, with about 77.7...