Over opposition, latest tort reform bill advancing through Legislature
For longtime San Antonio insurance agent Felipe Farias, being sued has become an occupational hazard. He's been served more than a dozen times in the past four years, mostly over homeowner hail and windstorm claims.
A few years ago, Farias inspected a storm-ravaged home and paid out a claim on a damaged roof. He didn't hear from the homeowner for a year — until he was slammed with a lawsuit. He said he would have been happy to reassess the claim without getting lawyers involved but never got the opportunity.
The barrage of lawsuits is a recent occurrence, according to Farias. He says he has been doing his job the same way for more than two decades. And his assertion is backed up by state data, which shows that in recent years, hail and windstorm claims have become far more likely to result in lawsuits.
In March, Farias testified in support of state legislation that would make it harder for policyholders to sue insurance agents and companies over weather-related damage to property, including hail damage, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and lightning.
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/05/04/texas-legislature-tort-reform/