Every year, thousands of Houston homeowners file property damage claims on their own — and most of them have no idea how much money they are leaving on the table.

They photograph the damage, submit the forms, wait through the inspection, and accept the check their insurer sends. The process feels legitimate. It often is not — at least not in terms of what a full, properly documented claim should pay out.

The reason is straightforward: the insurance company's adjuster is trained to protect the company's financial interests. You, filing alone, are not trained at all. That is precisely what a licensed public adjuster is for.

The Problem: Your Insurance Company Has a Team. You Don't.

When your home or commercial property is damaged, your insurance company does not simply write you a check. It assigns a professional — either a staff adjuster employed by the insurer or an independent adjuster contracted by them — to assess the damage and determine what the company owes you.

That adjuster knows your policy inside and out. They have years of experience identifying what to include in a claim scope and, just as importantly, what to leave out. They have access to estimating software, depreciation tables, and legal resources. They are paid, directly or indirectly, by the same company that benefits from minimizing your payout.

Most policyholders walk into that inspection alone, with a few photos on their phone and no idea how their policy coverage language actually applies to their specific loss. The result is predictable: settlements that reflect what the insurer's adjuster documented, not what the property actually needs to be fully restored.

What Is a Public Adjuster?

A public adjuster (PA) is a licensed insurance professional who works exclusively on behalf of the policyholder during the insurance claims process. They do not work for the insurance company. They are not contractors. They are claims specialists whose entire job is to represent your interests in documenting, filing, and negotiating your property damage claim.

In Texas, public adjusters are licensed and regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). Under Texas law, a public adjuster's fee cannot exceed 10% of the final settlement amount — meaning they are directly incentivized to maximize your claim. If they don't recover more for you, they earn less.

At A+ Public Adjusters, we operate on a simple principle: no recovery, no fee. You do not pay anything upfront.

What a Public Adjuster Does From Day One

Policy Review — Reading Your Coverage So You Don't Have To

Before anything else, a public adjuster reviews your insurance policy in full. A PA identifies exactly what is and is not covered, what deductibles apply, whether you have Replacement Cost Value (RCV) or Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage, and whether any endorsements apply to your loss.

Damage Assessment — Finding What the Insurer's Adjuster Missed

A public adjuster conducts an independent, comprehensive damage inspection — often identifying damage that the insurer's adjuster did not include. In Houston properties, this frequently means water intrusion behind walls, roof damage to flashing and ridge caps, HVAC system damage, structural compromise from moisture, and smoke penetration beyond the room of origin.

Documentation — Building an Airtight Claim File

A public adjuster builds a professional claim file: detailed photographs, moisture readings, written scope of loss, independent contractor estimates, and in complex cases, engineering or industrial hygiene reports. Every item is documented with enough specificity that the insurer cannot reasonably dispute it.

Negotiation — Going Back to the Insurance Company on Your Behalf

Once the claim is filed, the insurer responds with their estimate. A public adjuster negotiates directly with the insurance company's representatives. They understand the estimating software insurers use, know what line items are routinely undervalued, and recognize when an exclusion is being applied incorrectly.

Settlement Maximization

The goal is the correct number: what your settlement should reflect under the full terms of your policy, including contractor overhead and profit, code upgrade costs where applicable, and full replacement cost for personal property.

When Should You Hire a Public Adjuster in Houston?

• Immediately after a major loss — fire, water damage, storm, hail, hurricane
• When your settlement feels low — a PA can file a supplemental claim even after a first payout
• When your claim has been denied — a denial is not a final answer in Texas
• When damage is complex — commercial losses, multi-room fires, structural water damage

A+ Public Adjusters is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance. We serve homeowners and commercial property owners throughout Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, and surrounding communities.

A denial letter from your insurance company is a gut punch. You paid your premiums. You filed everything on time. You cooperated with their adjuster. And they still said no.

Before you accept that answer, understand this: insurance claim denials are not final, and in Texas, many of them are wrong. Whether the denial was based on a disputed cause of loss, a claimed exclusion, insufficient documentation, or a clerical error, you have options.

First: Don't Panic — and Don't Accept the Denial at Face Value

The insurance company's first answer is not necessarily their final or correct one. Insurers deny claims for a range of reasons. Some are legitimate. But a significant number involve disputed facts, misclassified causes of loss, overlooked documentation, or policy language applied incorrectly. The denial letter is the beginning of a process, not the end of one.

Step 1 — Get the Denial in Writing and Read It Carefully

Texas law requires insurance companies to provide a written explanation for any claim denial. If you received a verbal or phone denial only, request the written explanation immediately.

When you have the letter, look specifically for: the reason cited, the exact language used, and any referenced policy section. Pull out your policy and read that section yourself — exclusions have exceptions, and endorsements can override base policy language.

Step 2 — Gather Every Piece of Documentation You Have

A denial based on insufficient documentation is one of the most fixable there is. Compile:

• All photographs and videos of the damage, with date and time stamps
• Estimates or invoices from licensed contractors
• A timeline of events — when the damage occurred, when you noticed it, when you reported it
• Prior inspection reports or maintenance records establishing pre-loss condition
• Official weather data for the date of the storm from NOAA or the Harris County Flood Control District

Step 3 — File a Written Internal Appeal

Every insurance company operating in Texas is required to have an internal appeals process. Your appeal should include: a clear written statement explaining why the denial was in error, new or additional documentation not included in the original claim, a specific reference to the policy language supporting coverage, and evidence contradicting the stated denial reason.

Step 4 — Know Your Texas Legal Rights

The Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act (Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542) requires insurers to acknowledge your claim within 15 days, accept or deny within 15 business days of receiving all documentation, and pay approved claims within 5 business days. Violations may entitle you to 18% annual interest plus attorney fees on top of the claim.

The Right to Appraisal: Most Texas HO policies include an appraisal clause. If you and the insurer disagree on the amount of a covered loss, either party can invoke appraisal: each side hires an independent appraiser, those two appraisers choose an umpire, and the umpire's decision on the amount is binding.

Texas Department of Insurance: File a complaint at tdi.texas.gov or call 800-252-3439.

Step 5 — Hire a Public Adjuster Before Your Deadline Runs Out

Texas law gives homeowners two years from the date of loss to file a lawsuit over a denied claim. Some policies impose shorter internal deadlines. Every day you delay is a day closer to losing your legal options entirely.

A licensed Texas public adjuster can step in at any stage: before the formal appeal, after the denial, or during appraisal. Their fee is capped by Texas law at 10% of the settlement recovered. If they don't recover anything additional, you don't pay.

Information in this post reflects Texas law as of the date of publication and is general in nature. It does not constitute legal advice.

Houston sits at the intersection of three bayou systems, a Gulf Coast hurricane track, and some of the most intense rainfall totals in the continental United States. The city floods. After major storm events, tens of thousands of homeowners file insurance claims — and a significant number are denied or sharply reduced because of four words most people have never thought carefully about:

Water damage versus flood damage.

These are not interchangeable terms under your insurance policy. The distinction between them can mean the difference between a full settlement and a check for zero. Insurance companies know this. Most homeowners do not — until it is too late.

What Standard Homeowners Insurance Covers: Water Damage

A standard Texas homeowners insurance policy covers what the industry calls sudden and accidental water damage — water that originates from inside your home or enters through a sudden breach caused by a covered peril. Common examples include:

• A pipe bursts inside the wall and saturates drywall and flooring
• A washing machine supply line fails and releases water onto the subfloor
• A windstorm damages your roof and rain enters through the breach
• A hailstorm cracks a skylight and water enters through that opening

The critical element: the water originated from inside the structure or entered through a sudden physical breach caused by a covered event. What is not covered: gradual leaks, maintenance failures, and long-term seepage.

What Standard Homeowners Insurance Does NOT Cover: Flood Damage

Flood damage refers to water that inundates land and structures from an external surface water source. This includes rising water from rivers, creeks, and bayous; storm surge from a hurricane; overflow from streets and storm drains; and mudflow associated with flooding.

Standard homeowners policies explicitly exclude flood damage. To be insured against flood damage, you need a separate flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private flood carrier.

The Gray Zone: Where Houston Claims Get Complicated

Rain Through a Damaged Roof vs. Rising Street Water

A severe storm damages your roof, water enters through the breach, and simultaneously street flooding reaches your property and water enters under your doors. You have two sources of water intrusion — one covered, one not. Insurers may attempt to attribute all damage to the uncovered flood source and deny the entire claim. Correct documentation that separates the two damage streams is the only defense.

Sewer and Drain Backup

When Houston's drainage infrastructure is overwhelmed, sewers can back up into homes through floor drains and plumbing fixtures. This damage is typically excluded from both standard water damage and flood coverage. Many insurers offer a sewer backup endorsement as an add-on — if you do not have it, standard policies will not cover backup damage.

Wind-Driven Rain vs. Rising Water

Water entering horizontally through a storm-breached window or door is covered as wind damage causing water intrusion. Water entering because it is rising from outside is flood. Direction of water travel and the entry point determine coverage — which is why on-site documentation matters enormously.

How to Protect Your Claim

Before the storm: Photograph your home's exterior and roof in their current condition. Know whether you have flood insurance. Locate your policy declarations page.

Immediately after: Document all points of water entry with photos and video. Photograph water stain patterns — vertical stains running down from the ceiling indicate roof-entry water; horizontal tide lines at a uniform height indicate rising water. Pull official NOAA weather records for your zip code and date. Do not begin repairs until damage is fully documented.

What a Public Adjuster Does When the Insurer Disputes Cause of Loss

Cause-of-loss disputes are among the most common — and most winnable — battles in Texas property claims. A licensed public adjuster brings independent moisture mapping, thermal imaging, engineering opinions where needed, weather data analysis, and a detailed scope that separates covered and uncovered damage streams. If your claim has been denied because the insurer classified covered water intrusion as flood damage, that classification can be challenged — but it requires evidence, expertise, and persistence.

This post reflects general information about Texas homeowners insurance policies. Individual policy terms vary. Contact A+ Public Adjusters for a review of your specific coverage situation.

Every spring, Houston takes its position as one of the most hail-battered metropolitan areas in the United States. Texas leads the country in hail damage losses, and Harris County is among the highest-risk counties in the state. A single significant storm can produce golf ball-sized hailstones across thousands of square miles in minutes — and the property damage that follows generates a wave of insurance claims, many of which are never fully paid.

The reason so many claims fall short is not that the damage is not there. It is that the damage is not properly documented, not properly argued, and not measured against the right policy language. This guide walks through exactly what to do from the moment a storm passes to the moment you receive a fair settlement.

Immediately After the Storm: Your First 24 Hours

Safety first. Do not attempt to inspect your roof immediately following a storm. Wait until conditions are safe and, if possible, have a professional perform the roof inspection rather than climbing up yourself.

Start documenting at ground level immediately — before anything is touched, repaired, or cleaned up. Photograph all visible exterior damage: gutters, siding, window screens, A/C units, fences, and any outbuildings. Move inside and photograph ceiling stains, attic insulation exposure, or water intrusion.

Do not make permanent repairs yet. Emergency tarping to prevent further damage is fine and generally covered, but completing repairs before the insurer's inspection removes the evidence your claim is based on.

The Complete Hail Damage Documentation Checklist

Roof Surface

Shingles (look for impact spatter marks, circular bruising, exposed underlayment), ridge caps (disproportionately impacted in hailstorms and frequently missed by insurer adjusters), flashing around chimneys and skylights, and all roof vents.

Gutters and Downspouts

Denting along gutter faces is one of the clearest indicators of hailstone size — photograph the full length. Look for granule deposits inside gutters from damaged shingles; this indicates widespread shingle surface damage.

Windows, Skylights & Screens

Cracked or broken glass, damaged frames, destroyed screens. Hail often destroys screens even when glass survives. Check for broken seals on double-pane windows in the days following the storm.

HVAC Condenser Units

The outdoor A/C condenser is extremely vulnerable to hail. Photograph aluminum fins from multiple angles. Significant fin damage restricts airflow and reduces system efficiency — this is a legitimate, quantifiable claim item frequently overlooked by insurer adjusters.

Interior

Check your attic within 24 hours for daylight visible through the roof deck, displaced insulation, or moisture. Check top-floor ceilings for fresh water staining around skylights, chimney penetrations, and HVAC roof penetrations.

How to Pull Official Storm Data

Insurance companies frequently dispute the date of loss on hail claims. Official storm records are your defense. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) at ncei.noaa.gov maintains a public database of storm events searchable by county and date. If the NOAA record confirms a hail event for your area, that is official government documentation of the storm.

ACV vs. RCV: The Policy Term That Determines Your Actual Payout

Replacement Cost Value (RCV): Your insurer pays the full cost to replace damaged property at current prices, less your deductible.

Actual Cash Value (ACV): Your insurer pays replacement cost minus depreciation. For a 15-year-old asphalt roof, depreciation can be 40–60% — meaning on a $20,000 roof replacement, you might receive $8,000 to $12,000.

Texas insurers have increasingly shifted to ACV provisions for roof surfaces. Pull out your declarations page and look for language about roof coverage, ACV, or depreciation provisions before you file.

Common Mistakes That Reduce or Kill Hail Claims

• Accepting the insurer's first estimate without a second opinion — their adjuster is not your advocate
• Starting repairs before the inspection — completing repairs removes the evidence your claim is based on
• Waiting too long to file — Texas has a 2-year statute of limitations, but your policy may impose shorter internal deadlines
• Letting an unlicensed storm chaser contractor handle your claim — in Texas, only a licensed public adjuster is authorized to negotiate with your insurer on your behalf

A+ Public Adjusters is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance. We serve homeowners and commercial property owners throughout Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, and surrounding areas.

Most homeowners think accepting an insurance check closes the book on their claim. It doesn't.

In Texas, accepting a settlement does not automatically forfeit your right to additional compensation. If your payout was too low — because the adjuster missed damage, used incorrect pricing, misapplied depreciation, or overlooked covered items — you may be entitled to a supplemental payment. A licensed public adjuster can identify that gap, document it, and go back to your insurer to recover what's still owed.

Why So Many Texas Insurance Settlements Are Too Low

The insurance industry's claims process is designed to be efficient — for the insurer. Common reasons settlements fall short:

• Incomplete scope of damage. Adjusters working on volume routinely miss secondary moisture intrusion, hidden structural damage, HVAC damage, and concealed smoke penetration.
• Incorrect pricing. Xactimate database pricing may not reflect current Houston labor and material costs.
• Improper depreciation. When depreciation schedules are applied incorrectly or to items that should not be depreciated, the payout is understated.
• Overhead and profit (O&P) omissions. Insurers frequently omit contractor overhead and profit — public adjusters know to fight for it.
• Coverage items overlooked. Code upgrade coverage, additional living expenses, and contents replacement costs are routinely underpaid or ignored entirely.

What Is a Supplemental Claim?

A supplemental claim is an additional submission made after an initial claim has been partially paid or denied. It asks the insurer to reconsider, add to, or correct their original estimate based on new documentation, additional damage discovered, or errors in the original scope.

You do not need to have rejected your original payment to file a supplement. You can have cashed the check. As long as you are within the applicable statute of limitations and your policy's proof of loss deadline, you retain the right to pursue additional compensation.

When Can You Reopen or Supplement a Claim in Texas?

• Newly discovered damage — hidden water damage, mold from undocumented moisture, structural compromise
• Contractor estimates exceed the payout — the gap is documentable evidence of underpayment
• Recoverable depreciation not paid — on RCV policies, holdback amounts owed after repair completion
• Code upgrade costs not included — if your policy includes ordinance and law coverage
• Line items missed or underpriced — contents, detached structures, fencing, landscaping

The Texas Statute of Limitations: How Much Time Do You Have?

Under Texas law, a policyholder has two years from the date of loss to file suit against an insurer for breach of contract. Many policies also impose internal proof-of-loss deadlines — sometimes as short as one year. Act promptly: the further you get from the date of loss, the harder it becomes to establish cause and extent of damage.

What a Public Adjuster Does on a Supplemental Claim

When A+ Public Adjusters takes on a supplemental claim, we: review the original claim file in full; conduct an independent reinspection of the property; produce a new independent scope of loss at current local pricing; formally submit the supplement with complete supporting documentation; and negotiate directly with the insurer to close the gap.

A Note on Timing: Don't Wait for Repairs to Start

If you believe your settlement was too low, contact a public adjuster before making significant repairs. Once repairs are completed, physical evidence is gone and cause of loss becomes harder to prove. If some repairs were necessary to prevent further damage, document everything thoroughly before starting.

A+ Public Adjusters is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance. No recovery, no fee.

When a commercial property suffers damage — fire, storm, flooding, a burst pipe — the business owner faces two simultaneous crises: the physical damage itself, and the insurance claim that will determine how much of that damage actually gets paid.

Most business owners focus entirely on the first crisis. By the time they turn their attention to the insurance claim, they've already made decisions that significantly weakened their position. The first 72 hours are the most consequential period of your entire claim.

Why Commercial Property Claims Are More Complex Than Residential Ones

• Multiple coverages in play simultaneously — building, business personal property (BPP), business interruption (BI), extra expense, equipment breakdown, ordinance and law
• Business interruption requires meticulous financial documentation — tax returns, P&L statements, bank records going back 12 months
• Commercial adjusters have more experience and authority — they know exactly how to limit exposure across every coverage line
• Landlord and tenant policies interact — requiring careful coordination between two separate claims

Hour 1–4: Secure and Document Before Any Cleanup

After confirming safety, photograph and video everything before anything is moved, cleaned, or discarded: all exterior damage from multiple angles, all interior damage room by room, damaged equipment with serial numbers visible, water lines and smoke staining patterns.

Do not discard anything yet. Even damaged inventory must remain in place until the insurer's adjuster has documented it. Emergency tarping or water extraction to prevent further damage is fine — photograph before and after with all receipts.

Hour 4–12: Notify Your Insurance Carrier

Call your broker or carrier immediately and document the call. Provide only basic facts: date of loss, cause of loss, address, general description. Do not speculate about cause or estimate dollar amounts — initial statements can be held against you.

Under the Texas Prompt Payment Act, your insurer must acknowledge your claim within 15 calendar days and accept or deny within 15 business days of receiving your documentation.

Hour 12–24: Gather Critical Financial Records

Your business income claim lives or dies on financial documentation. Begin gathering immediately: last 12–24 months of P&L statements, business tax returns (2–3 years), bank statements, sales records, payroll records, and financial projections. Also locate your full insurance policy, lease agreements, equipment purchase records, and vendor contracts.

Hour 24–48: Commission Your Own Independent Assessment

Don't wait for the insurance company's adjuster. Bring in a licensed public adjuster with commercial experience immediately — before evidence degrades or is removed. Get independent contractor estimates. Begin tracking the business impact in real time: lost sales by day, additional expenses (temporary space, equipment rental, overtime wages).

Hour 48–72: Prepare for the Insurer's Adjuster Visit

You are entitled to have a representative present during this inspection. Prepare a written damage summary to hand the adjuster at the start of the visit. Do not leave them unsupervised in any area.

Coverages Most Commonly Underpaid on Commercial Claims

• Business interruption (BI) — most frequently disputed commercial coverage
• Extra expense coverage — costs to keep operating during repairs; often overlooked entirely
• Code upgrade / ordinance and law — routinely omitted from insurer estimates
• Business personal property (BPP) — adjusters frequently use ACV for items qualifying for replacement cost
• Tenant improvements and betterments — frequently missed on leased commercial properties

A+ Public Adjusters is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance and serves commercial property owners throughout the Houston metropolitan area.

Somewhere between filing your claim and receiving a settlement check, an adjuster from your insurance company will show up at your door. This visit will define your claim. What the adjuster documents — and what they overlook — becomes the basis for your settlement offer. Most homeowners treat this inspection like a routine appointment. That is a costly mistake.

Understand Who the Adjuster Works For

Staff adjuster: A full-time employee of your insurance company. Their employer benefits directly from minimizing your claim.

Independent adjuster (IA): A contractor hired by the insurer. They are paid by and dependent on the insurer's continued work — they are not independent in the way the name implies.

Public adjuster: The only type who works exclusively for you, the policyholder. If you've retained a PA, they should be present at this inspection.

Before the Adjuster Arrives: Do This First

Walk the Property and Write Down Everything

Walk every room, every exterior elevation, every system that may be affected. Write down every area of damage including areas where you suspect hidden damage — soft spots in flooring, discolored drywall, doors that no longer close properly after flooding.

Photograph and Video Everything Before They Arrive

Document every area of visible damage from multiple angles; the full exterior from each side; the roof from ground level; damaged contents in place; water stain patterns (these tell the story of where water came from and traveled). This creates a record that cannot be altered after the fact.

Prepare a Written Damage Summary

Compile your notes into a written summary and hand it to the adjuster at the beginning of the visit. It creates a written record of what was communicated and makes it harder for items to be missed.

During the Inspection: What to Do

• Be present for every minute — never leave the adjuster unsupervised in any area
• Lead the walkthrough — guide them to every area of damage, including HVAC, crawlspaces, attics, and secondary damage zones
• Take your own notes and photos — document what they look at and what they skip
• Ask factual questions — "What areas are you including in your estimate?" "When will I receive the written estimate?"

What NOT to Say to the Insurance Adjuster

Do Not Speculate About Cause

Saying "I think the pipe had been slow-dripping for a while" can shift a covered sudden loss to an excluded maintenance issue. Stick to what you observed and when you first noticed it.

Do Not Minimize Damage

"It's not as bad as it looks" or "we've been managing okay" can be used to argue against the full scope of your claim. Let the documentation speak.

Do Not Accept a Verbal Settlement Offer on the Spot

Some adjusters offer a number during the visit. Do not agree to anything verbally. You have not yet received a written estimate or compared it against independent contractor quotes.

Do Not Sign Anything

No forms, no statements, no agreements during the inspection. Review everything in writing first.

After the Inspection: Next Steps

Request the written estimate and review every line item. Get two or three independent contractor estimates to compare. If the insurer's estimate looks low or items were missed, contact a licensed public adjuster — in Texas their fee is capped at 10% and they're paid only when you recover more.

A+ Public Adjusters is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance. Serving Houston and surrounding areas. No recovery, no fee.

The Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act — codified at Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542 — is one of the most policyholder-friendly statutes in the country. It imposes strict, enforceable deadlines on every insurance company doing business in Texas. When an insurer misses those deadlines, they owe you more than just your claim: they owe 18% annual interest on the unpaid amount, plus your attorney's fees.

What the Texas Prompt Payment Act Requires

Deadline 1: Acknowledgment — 15 Calendar Days

After you file your claim, the insurer must acknowledge receipt within 15 calendar days, confirm investigation has begun, and request any additional information needed.

Deadline 2: Accept or Deny — 15 Business Days

After you've submitted all requested documentation, the insurer has 15 business days to accept or deny your claim in writing. If they deny, the denial must cite the specific policy provision or exclusion being relied upon.

Deadline 3: Payment — 5 Business Days

Once the insurer accepts your claim, they must issue payment within 5 business days. The clock starts when you comply with any policy conditions (such as a sworn proof of loss).

The Penalty: 18% Interest + Attorney's Fees

If an insurer violates any deadline, they owe the full claim amount plus 18% annual interest running from the date payment was due, plus reasonable attorney's fees to recover it.

On a $50,000 claim delayed by six months, that's $4,500 in interest alone — on top of the full claim. On major commercial losses or catastrophic events, the penalty is substantial. The law is explicit: delay must be more expensive than prompt payment.

Texas Insurance Code Chapter 541: The Companion Statute

Chapter 541 prohibits unfair or deceptive claims settlement practices, including:

• Misrepresenting policy provisions to avoid paying a claim
• Failing to conduct a reasonable investigation before denying
• Offering substantially less than you're entitled to, forcing you to sue
• Failing to explain specific reasons for a denial

Proven Chapter 541 violations can entitle a claimant to actual damages, up to three times actual damages for knowing violations, plus attorney's fees.

How to Use These Protections Effectively

Document Every Interaction With Dates

Keep a precise log: date you filed, date of acknowledgment, every documentation request and your response date, date of accept/deny decision, date of payment. Communicate in writing whenever possible — email creates a date-stamped record.

Know When Deadlines Were Missed

Count from the dates in your log. No acknowledgment after 15 calendar days? No decision after 15 business days from submitting complete documentation? No check within 5 business days of acceptance? Each is a potential violation.

File a TDI Complaint

File a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance at tdi.texas.gov or call 800-252-3439. This creates an official record and frequently prompts faster insurer response.

A Houston Example

March 15: Hailstorm damages roof and A/C unit. March 16: Claim filed — 15-day acknowledgment clock starts. April 1 (16 days later): No acknowledgment — possible violation. April 5: Complete documentation submitted — 15 business-day decision clock starts. April 30 (18 business days later): No accept or deny — possible violation. May 3: Insurer accepts and pays. In this scenario, both Deadline 1 and Deadline 2 may have been violated — creating the basis for an interest and fee claim.

Information in this post reflects Texas law as of publication date and is general in nature. It does not constitute legal advice. For complex disputes, consultation with a licensed insurance attorney is recommended alongside professional public adjusting services.