In our Houston personal injury practice we get calls every day from folks frustrated with their dealings with insurance companies. This is particularly true when dealing with a third persons insurance company, such as when someone who is at fault wrecks your car and injures you.
Not only are people frustrated with how insurance companies are handling injury claims, but also angry about how they are treated in general and in with dealing with the property damage claim. Delays, denials, unreasonable offers and abusive tactics and demeanor all have led to a record dissatisfaction with insurance companies in Texas.
Much of the problems that Texans are having in dealing with insurance companies relates to the inadequate remedies in Texas available to the consumer when the insurance carrier uses abusive claims handling practices. In other states, the insurance commissioner will regulate the conduct of the carriers and also the premiums charged and most do not face the same problems that Texas families are forced to deal with everyday.
Additionally, Texas had “tort reform” which had the unintended result of actually increasing lawsuits because of unreasonable positions taken by insurance carriers–in effect the “take it or sue us” mentality and costs of lawsuits have also increase to Texas families.
Texans pay some of the highest car insurance and homeowners insurance in the country yet insurance companies doing business in Texas are reaping record profits and paying out only a small percentage of the revenue collected in actual claims. Many states regulate the minimum amount of payouts for claims by the insurance companies as a way to keep premiums paid by its citizens to a reasonable level. Texas has yet to adopt that approach and families are stuck with the tab.
If you are angry at how you are treated by an insurance company or how high your insurance premiums are for home or automobile insurance, contact your state representative and demand insurance reform for Texas.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston personal injury attorney and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping personal injury victims seek civil justice. If you would like to speak with a Houston 18 wheeler accident attorney call the Baumgartner firm toll free at 1-866-758-4529.
