Bad Information Regarding HB 1774
A law passed by the 85th Texas Legislature impacting lawsuits related to weather-related property damage will take effect at the end of this week.
The new law, HB 1774, effective September 1, 2017, does not apply to lawsuits against the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and it does not affect the claims process in any way.
It simply adds an additional requirement for those filing a lawsuit against an insurer after damage that has been caused by weather-related events. Once the law takes effect, a policyholder will be required to provide at least 60 days’ notice before a lawsuit is filed against the insurer.
While the timing of the law is not ideal, it should not cause distress among those affected by Hurricane Harvey, and those impacted should not feel rushed to file claims simply because the law will soon take effect. Reports have previously been made that may cause confusion among policyholders during this difficult time. If concerns arise, please reach out to your insurance agent to get the most direct information.