AUSTIN â A coalition of consumer groups called on the Legislature on Tuesday to come to the aid of homeowners paying exorbitant insurance rates and those fighting a losing battle with their builders before a state agency that is supposed to mediate such disputes.
They called on lawmakers to take up insurance changes again, saying the relief promised homeowners under legislation passed in 2003 never materialized.
"Insurance companies are being allowed to run roughshod over Texas homeowners," said Alex Winslow of Texas Watch, noting that Texas continues to have the highest home insurance rates in the nation. "If lawmakers are serious about providing relief to Texas homeowners, they should order the Texas Department of Insurance to do its job."
The Insurance Department says rates have come down 13.5 percent since summer 2003. But Mr. Winslow says that record low property losses for companies since then warrant much larger premium decreases.
Jeff Brooks of the Texas Public Interest Research Group said lawmakers also need to address problems at the Texas Residential Construction Commission, a state agency that resolves disputes between homeowners and builders.
"The TRCC is actually little more than a barrier protecting the building industry by preventing homeowners from taking legitimate legal action against incompetent and unscrupulous builders," he said, noting homeowners are forbidden to take legal action until they have completed a dispute resolution process at the agency "that is stacked decisively against the homeowner and in favor of the builder."
The agency has defended its record, saying it has judged its cases fairly.
E-mail
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-budget_24tex.ART.State.Edition1.291d919.html