Notice: Hurricane Harvey Claims Need to Be Filed by August 31st
If any of your commercial real estate in southeast Texas was damaged by Hurricane Harvey, it’s important to file a Notice of Claim with your insurance company before August 31st. Beginning September 1st, Texas House Bill 1774 goes into effect, changing the law regarding how certain insurance claims are handled.
Currently, insurance companies may be subject to an 18% interest penalty if they fail to pay a valid insurance claim in a timely manner. Starting September 1st, the new penalty will be based on a market-rate formula. Any claim after September 1, 2017 will be subject to the new law. However, if a claim is made before September 1, 2017, then the old law’s 18% interest penalty applies to claim payment violations.
IMPORTANT:
- If dated and sent on or before August 31, 2017, this notice asserts that you are making an insurance claim prior to the new Texas state law going into effect.
- If you have sustained damage, file a Notice of Claim with each of your insurance carriers (homeowner, commercial, wind, etc.).
- Most flood policies are part of the FEMA managed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which means they are not subject to the new Texas law.