| its normal business hours prior to a windstorm designated as a hurricane by the United States Weather Bureau being in the Gulf of Mexico or within the boundaries of 80 degrees west longitude and 20 degrees north latitude; or mailed prior to the first day that a windstorm designated as a hurricane by the United States Weather Bureau is in the Gulf of Mexico or within the boundaries of 80 degrees west longitude and 20 degrees north latitude by registered or certified mail or United States Postal Service Express Mail or regular mail that is hand-canceled by the United States Postal Service or such other mailing procedure as approved by the Board of Directors. Such applications will be accepted and become effective on the date delivered in person or mailed or a later date if stipulated on the applications. This exception also does not apply to any renewal policy affording windstorm coverage if the expiring policy was written by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and if the application for renewal was received by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association on or before the expiration of the existing Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policy or if mailed by registered or certified mail or United States Postal Service Express Mail or by regular mail that is hand-canceled by the United States Postal Service, or if sent by such other similar mailing procedure as approved by the board of directors, prior to the expiration of the existing Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policy. (3) Cancellation. (A) By the association. (i) The association shall not cancel a policy of catastrophe insurance issued under this section except for: (I) nonpayment of premium; or (II) evidence of fraud or material misrepresentation; or (III) cause which would have been grounds for nonacceptance of the risk under this plan of operation had such cause been known to the association at the time the policy was issued; or (IV) any cause arising subsequent to the issuance of the policy which would have been grounds for nonacceptance of the risk under this plan of operation had such cause existed at the time of acceptance. (ii) Upon cancellation of a policy of catastrophe insurance issued under this paragraph, the association shall send to the insured notice of cancellation together with a statement of the reason therefor and a statement of the reason the insured has the right to appeal as hereinafter provided. Upon cancellation of a policy of catastrophe insurance by the association, the association shall refund to the insured the excess of paid premium according to the standard pro rata table. (B) By the insured. (i) A policy of catastrophe insurance may be canceled at any time: (I) by the insured upon demand and surrender of the policy; or (II) by an agent, or some other person, firm, or corporation if such agent, person, firm, or corporation shall finance the payment of all or a portion of the premium of such policy and there is a balance due for the financing of such premium and such balance, or any portion thereof is not paid within ten days after the due date, and such agent, person, firm, or corporation to whom such balance is due has: (-a-) requested cancellation of the policy and returned the policy with proof that the insured was notified of such return; or (-b-) requested the association to cancel such policy by notice mailed to the insured and any others shown in the policy as having an insurable interest in the policy, in which case the association shall refund the excess of paid premium according to the standard short rate table. (ii) A policy of catastrophe insurance may be reduced at any time in which case the association shall, upon demand, refund the excess of paid premium according to the standard short rate table. (4) Payment of claims. (A) Report of loss. All losses shall be reported by agents to the association in the manner prescribed by the board of directors. (B) Adjustment of loss. All losses shall be adjusted in the manner designated by the board of directors. The assignment of losses shall be on an equitable basis to qualified insurance adjusters at such fee as shall be determined by the board of directors. (C) Payment of losses. After report of the loss in the manner specified by the board and the adjustment of the loss as provided for herein, the association shall remit to the insured any sums owing to the insured in the manner specified in the catastrophe insurance policy, or in the absence of such specification, in the manner specified by the board of directors. (D) Notice of appeal. (i) The association shall, immediately upon total or partial denial of a claim of any person insured pursuant to the Insurance Code, Article 21.49, give written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to such person of the right to appeal such total or partial denial under the Insurance Code, Article 21.49, §9 and/or §9A. An offer of less than the amount claimed on the claimant's proof of loss is considered a partial or total denial of a claim. The notice must, at a minimum, contain the following information placed in a prominent position: (I) a clear, accurate, and complete description and statement of the partial or total denial of the claim; (II) a statement that the person has the right to appeal the association's determination either to the Commissioner under the Insurance Code, Article 21.49, §9; or bring an action against the association in the county in which the covered property is located or in a district court of Travis County under the Insurance Code, Article 21.49, §9A. A person may not proceed under both the Insurance Code, §9 and §9A, for the same determination by the association; (III) a statement that, under applicable law, an aggrieved person who chooses to appeal to the Commissioner must make a written request to the Commissioner within 30 days after such determination of the association; (IV) a statement of the date of such determination; (V) a statement that a person who files a written notice of appeal to the Commissioner is entitled to a hearing in either the county in which the covered property is located or in Travis County; and (VI) language which describes the time limit for filing an appeal as specified in clause (ii) of this subparagraph. (ii) An act, ruling, or decision of the association is deemed to be timely filed with the Commissioner if an appeal is sent to the chief clerk of the Department by first-class or by certified or registered United States mail in an envelope or wrapper properly addressed and stamped and deposited in the mail one day or more before the last day for filing the appeal, if the appeal is received by the chief clerk's office not more than ten days subsequent to the due date for filing. (e) Mobile Homes. (1) General provisions. The terms, conditions, and underwriting requirements set forth in this subsection apply to the Texas special mobile home windstorm and hail insurance policy covering all mobile homes which may be insurable property as described in this subsection, located in the designated catastrophe areas and written by the Texas Catastrophe Property Insurance Association. In the event of a conflict in the provisions of this subsection and subsections (a) - (e) of this section, the terms and conditions and underwriting requirements set forth herein in this subsection as relating to mobile homes shall be, in all respects, controlling; otherwise the provisions of subsections (a) - (e) of this section remain in full force and effect. (2) Insurable property. The property eligible for catastrophe insurance under this subsection shall be that property defined as "insurable property" in the Act, provided, however, that the term "insurable property" shall not include motor vehicles or any structure consisting, in whole or in part, of a mobile home unless the same is a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is eight body feet or more in width and is 32 body feet or more in length, which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein, and which is physically attached to the land, immovable, and is constructed, blocked, supported, anchored, secured, and installed in accordance with the underwriting requirements set forth in paragraph (3)(C) and (E) of this subsection. (3) Underwriting requirements. In order for a mobile home to be insured by the association, it must meet the following underwriting requirements: Cont'd... |
