CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — State Representative Todd Hunter and State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa went on the attack Friday against the Texas Windstorm Insurance Agency Board and its proposed five-percent tax rate increase for the Coastal Bend.
"Every session we made progress in trying to find ways to rein in TWIA, the board, and we will," Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa promised the crowd that lawmakers will stop the TWIA board from continuing to charge coastal residents higher insurance rates simply because of a possible future hurricane strike. He argues the insurance rates are not increased for those living in parts of the state where costly tornadoes and damaging hail are likely to strike. Hinojosa also told the audience that the entire legislature is focused on TWIA and is now on the side of the Coastal Bend.
"They're now seeing the abuses and tone deaf approach that TWIA has," Hinojosa said.
Though the problem at hand is the latest rate hike proposal, Hunter said there's an appeal process that's going to take place.
"We have a plan to go to the Texas Department of Insurance," Hunter said, "which is a step we need to go to; and there are two legislative oversight committees, and one that I'm a member of."
Hunter said he was disappointed in the TWIA board vote, especially after some two dozen lawmakers signed a letter and sent it to the board asking for no rate increase.
Now the appeals process is going to move forward, and perhaps sometime after the New Year the rate hike will be denied and Coastal Bend residents will have received what would be a late Christmas present.
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