HOT OFF THE PRESS- HARVEY TWIA DEADLINE EXTENSION:

Many (including our office, our followers,our local representative, etc.) have been working to get TDI to extend its deadlines sooner rather than later for Harvey claims and just yesterday afternoon the Texas Department of Insurance published Bulletin #B-0033-17. They have officially extended the deadline to dispute your TWIA claim based on reasons that we have been trying to express loud and clear. I have included the link to the bulletin here below. Further below is the link to the Commissioner’s Order along with a portion of the language in the Order.

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http://www.tdi.texas.gov/bulletins/2017/b-0033-17.html

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Below is the section of the order that addresses the reasons why the deadline was extended. We don’t believe 120 days will be long enough for a catastrophe of this size, but it’s a start.

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http://www.tdi.texas.gov/orders/documents/20175226.pdf

2017-5226

Commissioner’s Order- IN PART**

  1. Under 28 TAC §5.4222, good cause exists to extend the deadline for TWIA claimants to demand appraisal for claims arising from Hurricane Harvey. Good cause exists based on
  • the number of claims TWIA has received arising from Hurricane Harvey, and
  • the reasonable anticipation of
  •  a shortage of qualified contractors in the affected areas that could promptly bid out work for the damage TWIA accepts,
  • fluctuation in prices for labor and materials in the affected areas, and
  • the potential that claimants will not reasonably be able to dispute

TWIA’s payment determinations within the time required by

Insurance Code §2210.574.

  1. The deadline for a claimant to demand appraisal for disputes about the amount of loss TWIA will pay on claims arising from Hurricane Harvey should be extended 60 additional days. With the additional 60 days, a typical claimant will have a total of 120 days to demand appraisal after the date the claimant receives TWIA’s required written notice accepting coverage in full or in part.