TWIA Board Votes No Rate Increase for Annual Filing

The Board of Directors of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) voted not to increase rates for 2023 windstorm insurance policies. The Association will file for a 0% rate change in its annual required rate filing with the Texas Department of Insurance by the statutory deadline of August 15.

The decision followed the Board receiving a recommendation for a 0% filing from TWIA’s Actuarial & Underwriting Committee. The Board also heard public comments from stakeholders including elected officials and other coastal community members.

TWIA’s 2022 Rate Adequacy Analysis, prepared by the Association’s actuarial staff, indicates that TWIA’s current rates are inadequate by 15 percent for residential coverage and 11 percent for commercial coverage. This is an improvement over recent years, attributed mainly to TWIA’s early payoff of bonds used to pay Hurricane Harvey claims.

The Board also took the following actions:

• Directed staff to file proposed increases to the Association’s maximum liability limits with TDI. The limits establish the maximum amount of coverage a policyholder can purchase from TWIA. This filing does not impact TWIA’s rates and is benchmarked as required by law to match publicly available construction cost index information.
• Pursuant to Texas Insurance Code Section 2210.452(b), directed staff to notify the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts that the entire balance of the Catastrophe Reserve Trust Fund is required to be kept available to fund the payment of insured losses.
• Received an update on a staff study regarding agent commissions and agreed to reconsider the issue of agent commissions in the fourth quarter of 2023.
• Received an update on the search for a new General Manager.
• Directed staff to make a filing with TDI to implement expanded premium credits for exterior opening protections as recommended by the Actuarial & Underwriting Committee. Staff will report to the Board at its December meeting on potential premium impacts based on roof characteristics.
• Approved legislative recommendations for the Association’s Biennial Report as recommended by the Legislative & External Affairs Committee.

The General Manager announced that Jennifer Armstrong will depart from her position as Vice President of Communications & Legislative Affairs to accept a position outside the insurance industry.

Members of the media with questions about the Board meeting, please email MediaRelations@TWIA.org.

The meeting materials and archived recording for the Board meeting are available on our Archived Meetings page.