CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — City leaders are opposing a 10 percent rate increase from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Corpus Christi residents heard about the recommendation made by a subcommittee from TWIA's Board of Directors and are wondering why this could happen.
“Why does it have to keep going up? What’s making it so expensive? They know we need it so why does it have to be so high," Resident, Johnnie Sue Hardin, said.
And that is the same response other residents gave KRIS 6 News when they told them of the 10% proposed increase that could be coming to their windstorm insurance coverage.
Hardin has lived in her home for a few years. She said she has shopped around for windstorm coverage several times and fell upon TWIA.
"It was the lowest rate. I shopped around and the lowest I can find was $418/month," Hardin said. "Even if I got on a payment plan, or they offered me anything, I still couldn’t be able to do it.
TWIA's Senior Manager of Legislative and External Affairs, Anna Stafford, said the rate recommendation was presented with several factors in mind.
"They look at Rate Adequacy Analysis that we put together, they hear comment from the public and they also hear from the association staff about the adequacy of our rates," Stafford said.
If the proposed increase is approved and filed with the Texas Department of Insurance, people will see the changes in their 2025 policies. But city leaders want to stop that. They’re hoping to move forward with a resolution during a planned discussion on Tuesday.
“It's a community effort honestly," the City of Corpus Christi's Director of Intergovernmental Relations, Ryan Skrobarczyk, said. "We’re working with partners, everybody including the Port, the RTA, the county, Chairman Todd Hunter is leading the effort to oppose a rate hike. The reality is increasing insurance costs on Gulf Coast residents make living and working here less affordable
People like Hardin, dealing with the dread of higher costs, hope companies like TWIA remember how their decisions have a lasting impact on communities across the state.
“Take into consideration people my age and older with our fixed incomes because it’s just unaffordable," Hardin said.
The city will take public input during a meeting later in July. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association's Board of Directors will meet in Galveston on August 6 to consider whether they will move forward with the recommended rate increase. If you can't make that meeting, you can join vitually. They will post details of the meeting and how you can participate on their website.
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