House Committee on Insurance

Committee Leadership

Chair

Jay Dean (R)

House District 7

Longview

Vice Chair

Hubert Vo (D)

House District 149

Houston

Committee Composition

Committee Membership

Dean, Jay (R) House District 7 Longview Vo, Hubert (D) House District 149 Houston González, Jessica (D) House District 104 Dallas Goodwin, Vikki (D) House District 47 Austin Hopper, Andy (R) House District 64 Decatur Morgan, Matt (R) House District 26 Richmond Paul, Dennis (R) House District 129 Houston Spiller, David (R) House District 68 Jacksboro Wharton, Trey (R) House District 12 Huntsville

Most Recent Session Activity

Metrics reflect activity during the most recent legislative session.

Interim Charges

• Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature to ensure that legislative purposes are properly implemented, including the following:
  • HB 138, relating to the establishment of the Health Impact, Cost, and Coverage Analysis Program;
  • HB 3689, relating to funding of excess losses and operating expenses of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association; authorizing an assessment; and
  • SB 458, relating to an appraisal process for disputed losses under personal automobile or residential property insurance policies.
• Health Benefits for Small and Midsize Employers: Study primary cost drivers affecting employer-sponsored health plans and evaluate the downstream impacts on employee access to coverage. Identify policy options that allow for flexibility, innovative benefit design, and encourage market competition. Make recommendations to improve the availability of affordable coverage options for employers.
• Cost Drivers Impacting Property and Casualty Insurance Premiums: Study cost drivers impacting property and casualty insurance premiums for consumers and their impact on home affordability in Texas. Study rate trends, underwriting practices, and market availability, with particular attention to coastal and catastrophe-exposed regions. Examine strategies used in other states, including those intended to reduce losses, improve property resilience and promote loss mitigation. Examine the need to employ additional strategies or make statutory changes to encourage greater market participation and promote competition. Make recommendations that reduce the cost of insurance and maintain sufficient consumer protection standards and market stability.
• Federal Policy Impacts: Evaluate both the direct and indirect impacts of federal health-related policy and programs on consumers and the state, including those related to health coverage access and affordability, health insurance product adaptation and innovation, network adequacy, and administrative costs and compliance. Determine whether state statutory or regulatory changes are needed.
• Consumer Protection: Evaluate consumer protections in property and casualty insurance lines, and review the effectiveness of existing laws and enforcement mechanisms to ensure transparency, consumer choice, and coverage adequacy. Identify any deficiencies and recommend statutory clarifications or additional safeguards to strengthen consumer protections.
• Declination, Cancellation, or Nonrenewal: Monitor the implementation of HB 2067, relating to declination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of insurance policies. Review agency rulemaking and enforcement, overall market impact, and policy implications for additional insureds. Identify whether any statutory or regulatory improvements are needed to ensure transparency, fairness, and a stable insurance marketplace.
• Prompt Payment: Review the prompt payment of insurance claims. Evaluate the effectiveness of applicable statutes and administrative rules and assess whether insurers are complying with these requirements. Identify the need for enhanced oversight or additional enforcement mechanisms to ensure the prompt payment of claims.
• Agency Oversight: Pursuant to the broad oversight responsibilities granted to the Committee under Section 301.014, Government Code, and the House Rules of Procedure, monitor the agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, waste, and abuse, where applicable. The jurisdiction of the Insurance Committee includes the following agencies:
  • The Texas Department of Insurance;
  • The Texas Health Benefits Purchasing Cooperative; and
  • The Office of Public Insurance Counsel.