Consumer protection bill to be heard on Thursday, May 4

AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform today issued the following statement regarding the House Calendars Committee voting to advance House Bill 1774. The consumer protection bill to stop rampant weather-related lawsuit abuse will be heard on the House floor on Thursday, May 4:

“The House Calendars Committee today took an important step to protect Texans from storm-chasing lawyers and from insurers who unfairly deny and delay claims,” TLR Communications Director Lucy Nashed said. “We appreciate the committee’s quick action to stop this blatant lawsuit abuse and send this bill to a vote in the House.”

The Texas Department of Insurance recently found the rate of weather-related lawsuits increased 1,400 percent statewide after 2011. As a result of this lawsuit abuse, at least 12 insurers have raised their rates for homeowners’ insurance and seven have reduced, limited or stopped writing policies in Texas.

For a list of organizations endorsing HB 1774 and its companion bill, SB 10, please visit https://www.tortreform.com/reports/hailstorm-resolutions-support.

To learn more about hail-related lawsuit abuse, please visit www.tortreform.com/hail.