What the TWIA is Doing to Rescue Your Texas Home from Death by Windstorm

What the TWIA is Doing to Rescue Your Texas Home from Death by Windstorm

There's nothing like the beauty of living along the Texas gulf coast, but let's face it-the windstorm statistics for that area are enough to send any sane homeowner or developer running for the hills! They've certainly done their part to scare off potential insurance providers, ensuring that the most homeowners in and around the area have a hard time finding insurance coverage to protect them from wind and hail damage resulting from storms like Hurricanes Ike and Dolly, whose combined damages totaled over $500,000,000.

Since many private insurers aren't willing to take the risk, increasing numbers of Texas homeowners are turning to the TWIA to protect their homes from windstorm damage.

What is the TWIA?

The TWIA (Texas Windstorm Insurance Association) is dedicated to providing Texas homeowners with protection against storms like Ike and Dolly, bridging the gap to bravely go where no private insurer has ever gone before. Insurance through the TWIA is sold through private insurance agents throughout Texas and the surrounding area (which means if you're covered by the TWIA you're going to want to make sure you've got your agent on speed dial, since the organization is going to refer you back to them when you file a claim anyway).

The TWIA focuses on "high risk" areas directly along the Gulf Coast, including the counties of:

Aransas	Galveston	Matagorda
Brazoria	Harris County	Nueces
Calhoun	Jefferson	Refugio
Cameron	Kenedy	San Patricio
Chambers	Kleberg	Willacy

TWIA Home Inspection

When you submit your application for coverage to the TWIA you're going to submit a (current) photo of your home, along with the application and premium payment. From that point the TWIA is probably going to request that your insurance agent send you a copy of your WPI-8 certificate.

What is the WPI-8 certificate? Historically, builders throughout the gulf coast area have been lax about making sure their buildings were built to code, thereby minimizing the amount of damage they would suffer when windstorms came waltzing down Main Street. Less damage=fewer claims paid out. sure their buildings were built to code, thereby minimizing the amount of damage they would suffer when windstorms came waltzing down Main Street. Less damage=fewer claims paid out. You can see why that would be important to an insurer!

The gulf coast isn't the place for builders who like to cut corners to set up shop!

The TWIA is a last ditch resort for residents who aren't able to find insurance in the private sector, but they've saved homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. Don't take the risk of living on the cost without insurance. Explore all of your options, shop around and, if you're finding that your home simply isn't insurable against windstorm damage, contact the TWIA today.

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