SB2484 - Relating to availability of claims contact information for personal and commercial property and casualty insurers.

  89R5389 SCR-D     By: Alvarado S.B. No. 2484       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to availability of claims contact information for personal   and commercial property and casualty insurers.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 32.101, Insurance Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 32.101.  APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER.   Except as   otherwise provided by this subchapter, this [ This ] subchapter   applies to insurers who comprise the top 25 insurance groups in the   national market and who issue residential property insurance or   personal automobile insurance policies in this state, including a   Lloyd's plan, a reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, a county   mutual insurance company, a farm mutual insurance company, the   Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, the FAIR Plan Association,   and the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Insurance Code, is   amended by adding Section 32.1025 to read as follows:           Sec.   32.1025.     CLAIMS CONTACT INFORMATION. (a)     Notwithstanding Section 32.101, this section applies to each   insurer writing personal or commercial property or casualty   insurance in this state, including a Lloyd's plan, a reciprocal or   interinsurance exchange, a county mutual insurance company, a farm   mutual insurance company, the Texas Windstorm Insurance   Association, the FAIR Plan Association, and the Texas Automobile   Insurance Plan Association.           (b)     The department shall establish and maintain an Internet   website that lists each insurer writing personal or commercial   property or casualty insurance in this state and provides for each   insurer:                 (1)     a telephone number used to file a claim with the   insurer; or                 (2)     a link to the Internet website used to file a claim   with the insurer.          SECTION 3.  Section 32.103, Insurance Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 32.103.  PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING INTERNET   WEBSITE.  The department shall publicize the existence of an [ the ]   Internet website required by this subchapter.          SECTION 4.  Section 32.104, Insurance Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 32.104.  DUTIES OF INSURER. (a) On the request of the   department, an insurer , including an insurer to which Section   32.1025 applies, shall provide to the department any information   the department and the office of public insurance counsel determine   is reasonable or necessary to fulfill the department's and the   office of the public insurance counsel's duties under this   subchapter.          (b)  An insurer shall provide in a conspicuous manner with   each residential property insurance or personal automobile   insurance policy issued in this state notice of the Internet   website required by Section 32.102 [ this subchapter ].  The   commissioner shall determine the form and content of the notice.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.