Insuring a home for windstorm, hurricane, and hail is difficult along this stretch of the coast. In Kemah, League City, Dickinson, Friendswood, and the parts of Seabrook and La Porte east of Highway 146, the risk of damage from these perils runs well above average, and most standard carriers will not write wind and hail coverage in Galveston or Brazoria counties at all.
What the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association is
TWIA was created in the 1970s as the insurer of last resort for coastal homeowners who could not get windstorm coverage through a standard policy. It exists as a pool to make that protection available where the private market will not.
TWIA has no agents of its own. Licensed agents who meet its requirements, including the agents at Paula Smith Insurance, can quote and submit applications on behalf of coastal residents. We do not represent TWIA and have no authority to bind or place the coverage. What we can do is submit the application for you and then handle the service, renewals, and claims that follow.
Every agent quotes the same TWIA rate
Because all TWIA agents work under the same program, the rate you are quoted will be identical from one agent to the next, assuming the same coverages and deductibles. Shopping around on price alone will not get you a different number.
Rates are set by the TWIA Board of Directors and are subject to review and approval by the Texas Department of Insurance. A rate increase requires a two-thirds vote of the Board and must then be approved by the Texas Insurance Commissioner before it takes effect. TWIA files its annual rate request each August and reviews rate adequacy every year, so the program is worth checking on at renewal.
Choosing an agent still matters
Since the rate is fixed, what differs between agents is everything else: whether your application is filled out correctly the first time, whether your deductible and coverage amounts are set sensibly for your home, whether your certificate requirements are handled, and who picks up the phone when you have a claim after a storm. That is where we earn our place.
Get help with your windstorm coverage
To talk through TWIA coverage for your coastal home, contact Paula Smith Insurance and one of our agents can help you navigate the program. We also write flood, homeowners and renters, auto and motorcycle, recreational vehicles, and business insurance, and we are happy to quote any of them with no obligation.
Call (281) 488-8880, email Paula@PaulaSmithInsurance.com, or request a free windstorm quote.