COVID-19 has had a financial impact on many Texans. We have tried to help Texas consumers by objecting to auto rate increases filed since March 2020. Our efforts have resulted in companies withdrawing their rate increase, re-filing at lower rates, and/or refunding premium. OPIC saved Texas drivers over $80 million.
OPIC has objected to the use of old and minor criminal offenses, such as a violation for a barking dog, to improperly set the cost of auto insurance for drivers, because those offenses don’t prove a direct correlation to accident risk. After our objections, only a handful of companies still use non-driving-related criminal history to rate drivers. We are still working on this issue to make sure rates are fair to Texans.
The Texas Gulf Coast was impacted by several hurricanes this year. OPIC created resources for those affected by Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta to help with the recovery and claims processes.