After last night's storms ripped through Central and South Texas, property owners are assessing the damage to their homes and businesses. Executive Director Ware Wendell released the following statement regarding the Blue Tarp Bills (SB 10 and HB 1774), which would make it even more difficult for Texas policyholders to have their claims paid in full and on time after disasters like last night's storm.
SB 10 and HB 1774, more aptly referred to as the Blue Tarp Bills, burden all property owners in getting all property claims paid on time and in full. Families, businesses, schools, and churches with water damage, fire damage, windstorm damage, and more will have even more difficulty in starting the rebuilding process. If insurance lobbyists have their way, the state will be blanketed in blue tarps.
Ware Wendell, Executive Director of Texas Watch, released the following statement in response to the filing of SB 10 & HB 1774 (i.e., the "Blue Tarp Bills"):
When profits are placed over people and safety is sacrificed, citizen jurors guard our communities by enforcing the law without fear or favor. Those who block the courthouse doors and dismantle the jury box attack the very bedrock of justice. Help us #StandForThe7th.
At Texas Watch, we believe that if someone threatens our rights, Texans will fight to the end to protect them. We believe “liberty and justice for all” are more than words – they’re our way of life. This is our fight. This is what we stand for:
The 85th Legislative Session is here and we’re ready for the fight. We’re ready to make a stand to preserve policyholder protections, make our roads safer, and protect consumers.
Thanks to your support last session, we were able to beat back insurance lobbyists’ efforts to rob Texas policyholders of their vital legal protections. Now, insurance lobbyists are coming back for your rights.
You have just been involved in a car wreck. Your car is destroyed. You are hurting and disoriented. After you exchange insurance information with the other driver, take photos of the damage, gather witness information, and get to the doctor, what comes next? Often the other driver's insurance company calls wanting a recorded statement from you.
Tori Sommerman, deputy director of Texas Watch, released the following statement:
On October 5th, the Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee will meet to discuss a Texas Department of Insurance report on weather-related claims. But, some consumer advocates are concerned that the one-sided report could be used against Texas families and businesses. We talked to Texas Watch’s Executive Director Ware Wendell about his concerns on the biases within the report.
You can tell the Senate committee to preserve policyholder protections here.
On October 5th, the Senate Business & Commerce Committee will meet to discuss weather-related litigation in Texas. While industry insiders will testify before the committee and spin the anti-policyholder message pushed throughout the last legislative session and the interim, a key voice is being left out of the legislative process: Texas policyholders.
