Although the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season is September 10, Hurricane Beryl reminded us that Texans must be prepared for a hurricane at any time during the season.
Please read and save this email for future reference. It outlines what you can do now to prepare and what to expect when a hurricane is approaching.
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Check Your Coverage & Prepare Your Property:
- Understand Your Deductible: Higher deductibles translate to significant out-of-pocket expenses before TWIA can pay on your claim. Your deductible is a percentage of the coverage limit of your property, not a percentage of the damage amount. For example, a 2% deductible on a home with $250,000 of coverage means you must pay the first $5,000 of the cost to repair covered damage. See other factors that affect a claim payment amount.
- Take Care of Home Maintenance: TWIA policies do not cover property deterioration caused by delaying maintenance to your property. A property in a deteriorated condition can complicate the claims process, as damage needs to be inspected and determined whether or not it was caused by wind or hail.
- Prepare Your Property: When a storm is on the way, do your best to board up your windows and seal your garage doors. Secure outdoor items like patio furniture, potted plants, and garden tools to prevent projectiles that can cause damage to your property or your neighbors’ property.
- Policy Review: Take a moment with a trusted agent to check your deductible, coverage amount, and endorsements, and consider additional coverage options such as Additional Living Expenses or Increased Cost of Construction.
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Register for the Policyholder Portal:
Use TWIA’s Policyholder Portal to report claims, communicate with our claims staff, submit claim documents, and check your claim status. Policyholders can register here.
📋 To successfully register, you will need your policy number and 📧 the same email address your agent provided when they submitted your policy to TWIA.
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Claim Reporting Options:
🏪 You can report a claim to TWIA 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
🌐 Online: Use the Policyholder Portal by logging in.
💬 Chat: Use the 24-hour chat option on our claims webpage.
📱 Text: Text “Hello” to (512) 645-2846.
☎ Call: Call (800) 788-8247, select option 1.
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Avoid Surprises – Understanding Requirements Unique to TWIA:
- WPI-8s and Windstorm Inspections: Ensure any past storm damage to your property is repaired, and that it has been inspected by the Texas Department of Insurance’s Windstorm Program. This will help to avoid delays in any new TWIA claims or issues with qualifying for a TWIA policy in the future. See if you need a certificate.
- Surcharges: If a storm season is particularly catastrophic and costly, TWIA may have to request a surcharge on TWIA policies to repay money we are required to borrow to pay hurricane claims. This short explainer video puts TWIA funding in simple terms.
- Policy Moratoriums: These are temporary suspensions of TWIA policy issuance during hurricanes in the Gulf. In other words, if there is a hurricane in the Gulf, we cannot sell you a policy. Learn more on the TWIA website.
Sincerely,
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association
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