According to an article in the Dallas Morning News, The Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner, Eleanor Kitzman, has again approved Allstate Insurance Company’s request for increased premiums for homeowners coverage. The increase includes a hike between three and one-half percent and seven percent in the Dallas area. All three of the state’s major home insurers (Allstate, Farmers and State Farm) have now received approval from The Texas Department of Insurance in recent months to increase their homeowners rates. Alex Winslow of Texas Watch criticized the recent rate decisions by Kitzman. “More than half of all homeowners have seen their insurance rates go up recently – many by double-digit percentages. What are insurance customers getting for these higher prices? Junk policies that cost more but cover less,” Winslow said. For residents along the Texas Gulf Coast, increased rates while being provided less coverage is nothing new. In addition to continuously increasing rates, the major insurers have routinely denied thousands of claims following catastrophic losses like Hurricanes Rita and Hurricane Ike. Not only are premiums going up, but so are the deductibles homeowners must pay if they file a claim.
If you or someone you know has a legitimate claim that has been wrongly denied, contact the attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211.