| (a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to specify the procedures for the Commissioner of Insurance to appoint temporary qualified inspectors for a specified limited period to conduct inspections for windstorm and hail insurance pursuant to the Insurance Code Article 21.49 §6A and to specify qualifications, requirements, and procedures pursuant to the Insurance Code Article 21.49 §6A(d) for the appointment of persons to perform such inspections. (b) Public Hearing. The Commissioner may make the temporary inspector appointments only upon a determination by the Commissioner after notice and a public hearing pursuant to the Insurance Code Article 21.49 §5A that qualified inspectors are not reasonably available in the first tier coastal counties specified in Article 21.49 and/or in designated catastrophe areas as defined by Article 21.49 §3(h). If the Commissioner makes such a determination, the Commissioner shall issue an order specifying the reasons for the determination, the designated catastrophe areas in which the temporary inspector appointments are authorized, the types of inspections temporary appointees are authorized to perform, the period of time for which the appointments are effective, and any other requirements necessary to properly ensure the availability of qualified inspectors as needed in the designated catastrophe areas. (c) Qualifications. (1) Persons appointed under this section must meet the qualifications for appointment under this section and shall perform inspections in accordance with the provisions of this section, §§5.4001 - 5.4010 of this title (relating to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association plan of operation), §§5.4601 - 5.4605 of this title (relating to inspections for windstorm and hail insurance), the Insurance Code Article 21.49 §6A, and the order issued by the Commissioner pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The following persons are eligible to apply for an appointment as a temporary qualified inspector: (A) a person who is certified as a coastal construction inspector by the International Code Council and who has at least two years of construction, design or inspection experience on buildings or structures located in high wind areas; this may include a person employed full-time by a municipality of this state who meets the qualifications as stated in this paragraph; or (B) a Texas registered architect with construction, design or inspection experience on buildings or structures located in high wind areas; or (C) any person with experience, education, or training in programs at an accredited university which shall include at a minimum successful completion of at least two years of technical or university training in the field of civil or architectural engineering, the field of architecture, or the field of construction technology or construction science and at least two years of construction, design or inspection experience on buildings or structures located in high wind areas. (2) Persons applying under the requirements of paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection must affirm to the Commissioner through a sworn statement the current, active, and good-standing status of their certification and/or shall also provide a Certification of Employment affidavit from the municipality as applicable. (3) Persons applying under the requirements of paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection must affirm to the Commissioner through a sworn statement the current, active, and good-standing status of the architect's registration through the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. (4) Persons applying under the requirements of paragraph (1)(C) of this subsection must provide a certified copy of a completed degree, if any; certificate; or transcript. (d) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings: (1) Appointee--A person who has been issued a temporary appointment as a qualified inspector under this section. (2) Commissioner--Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Texas. (3) Department--Texas Department of Insurance. (4) Person--An individual and includes a resident or non-resident of this state. (e) Application. A person applying for a temporary inspector appointment under this section must complete and file an application on a form prepared, maintained, and obtainable from the Department. (f) Training. An appointee must attend within 30 days of the person's appointment a two-hour orientation and training session provided by the Department at one of its field offices or in Austin, Texas. (g) Financial interest prohibitions. An appointee must not have a financial interest either directly or indirectly in or be employed by a business that is financially interested either directly or indirectly in the furnishing of labor, material, or appliances for the construction, alteration, or maintenance of any building, nor have current employment or accept compensation or accept other employment or compensation during the period of appointment which could reasonably be expected to impair the appointee's independence of judgment in the performance of inspections pursuant to this section. (h) Inspection forms. An appointee shall comply with and utilize all windstorm inspection forms required by §5.4604 of this title (relating to appointment of engineers as qualified inspectors), with such forms modified to substitute "appointed temporary inspector" for "engineer" as applicable. (i) Department oversight. Except as otherwise provided in this section, an appointee is subject to all provisions of §5.4604 of this title including oversight by the Department as specified in subsection (h) of §5.4604. If there is a conflict between the provisions of this section and the provisions of §5.4604 of this title, this section controls. (j) Delegation prohibition. An appointee is prohibited from delegating the duties under this section to any other person. The delegation/assistance provision of subsection (g)(5) of §5.4604 of this title shall not apply to an appointee, (k) Limited authorization. (1) An appointee is only authorized to perform inspections of structures for insurability for windstorm and hail insurance as provided in the Commissioner's order issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. No other types of inspections by the temporary inspector appointees will be considered valid for purposes of the Insurance Code Article 21.49. (2) An appointment made under this section is valid only for the designated catastrophe areas and period of time specified by the Commissioner in the Commissioner's order issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section; at the end of such period or upon action by the Department, the appointment will expire. (l) Administrative remedies. In addition to any other remedy available under the Insurance Code Article 21.49 §6A, and Chapters 82 and 84, and §5.4604 of this title (relating to appointment of engineers as qualified inspectors), the Department may issue an emergency cease and desist order pursuant to the Insurance Code Chapter 83 to any person who violates any provision of this subchapter or any other rule or statute relating to inspections of structures to be considered insurable property for windstorm and hail insurance. (m) Severability clause. If a court of competent jurisdiction holds that any provision of this section is inconsistent with any statutes of this state, is unconstitutional, or is invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this section shall remain in effect. |
