The Texas windstorm Insurance Association, or TWIA, is not an insurance company. It is an insurance market organization managed by the state of Texas in association with Admitted Texas carriers with the goal of assisting Homeowners with credit problem. excessive claims history, or those who can not find insurance the traditional way for various reasons can seek coverage through the association.
The program provides essential property insurance coverage for individuals who have been unable to obtain coverage through traditional insurance providers. This program was established by the Texas legislature in 1995 to address the insurance needs of homeowners who live in high-risk areas or have a challenging credit history.
Homeowners Insurance with prior claims history
Homeowners in high risk areas with coastal homes or who have had multiple claims that may be considered excessive, can utilize TWIA to locate insurance for properties in Texas who might not otherwise be able to find coverage. The market provides a wide array of Property & Casualty products to independent agents through binding authority and brokerage relationships with some of the strongest A.M. Best rated companies in the industry.
A coverage option of last resort for coastal home insurance is the Association coverage, which typically includes the dwelling, personal property and liability insurance. Homeowners can choose the options that best meet their needs and budget. It also offers discounts for homeowners who take steps to reduce their risks, such as installing fire alarms, sprinkler systems, or storm shutters.
Home Insurance with poor credit history
Credit challenges can often hamper our ability to find affordable insurance through the traditional means. TWIA can help you for two years at a time when credit has become a stumbling block for many homeowners. If you have been declined by 3 or more insure. you could be eligible for placement through this state managed market. All insurers participating in the market are approved by the Texas Department of insurance for participation. Our agency can facilitate placement of coverage if you find yourself in a situation where your recent credit history has effectively excluded you from the market. We provide a wide array of Property & Casualty products to independent agents through binding authority and brokerage relationships with some of the strongest A.M. Best rated companies in the industry.
Eligibility for TWIA insurance
If you have been declined insurance for your home by 3 or more Insurers based either on your Credit Rating or due to excessive Prior Claims History or due to your homes geographical location in what is considered a High Risk area, you are most likely eligible to request coverage through the Plan. Only your Insurance Agent however, may submit your application. You Agent must also be enrolled in the plan and authorized to submit for coverage. Once place. your coverage can be accepted for 2 years. After 2 years if your Credit or claims History has improved you should be able to find coverage through the traditional market place. If your circumstance have not improved and you are again declined coverage from 3 Texas insurer. your agent may again submit your request for coverage through the Windstorm association for another 2 years.
While the program provides essential coverage for homeowners who are unable to find coverage from traditional insurance provider. it is important to note that this coverage does have limitations. Homeowners who obtain coverage through the Windstorm Association may find that their coverage is more expensive than coverage obtained through traditional insurance providers. Additionally, it may not provide coverage for all types of natural disasters or other catastrophic events.
Texas Windstorm Insurance Mission
TFPA’s mission is to efficiently provide essential residential property insurance products and services for eligible Texas policyholders when no one else will. The Texas Legislature enacted legislation which authorized the commissioner of insurance to establish the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association or TWIA, to deliver property coverage so Texas residents in areas designated by the commissioner as underserved, can apply for windstorm insurance in Texas through the association.
Basic Protection You Need
| Property | Coverage for your main living structure |
| Other Structures | Other buildings or structures on your property |
| Contents | Your personal belongings - furniture, clothing, appliances, etc. |
| Liability | Your personal legal liability |
| Additional living expenses after a loss | Compensation for temporary expenses, hotels, motels or other temporary accommodations while your home is not livable or under repair from a covered loss |
| Replacement Cost Guarantee | Ensure you have the right amount of coverage to replace it |
Finding Home Insurance with Bad Credit
Programs with Credit Score or Non Credit Scored factoring. Good or bad credit is not an issue with our new non scored "Hassle Free" HOA Policy.
Economic challenges and financial uncertainty can result in undesirable dings on some consumers usual credit standing. Homeowners with Credit problems can still obtain insurance through our Non Credit Scored programs. These are rated differently and often issued on special custom homeowners insurance forms rather than traditional policy offerings. Some windstorm insurance markets in Texas may limit their Non Credit Scored homeowners insurance offerings to an HO1 or HOA type policy for owner occupied and DP1 policy forms for tenant occupied rental properties.
If electrical wiring. plumbing and roof have all been updated in the last 20 years, then you get a rating discount by using the first remodeling date as the age of the structure. Up to a 10% credit. If you have 1 or more acres o f land? With or without hobby animals, you may qualify for our personal lines program, No need for a Farm and Ranch insurance type policy. If AG sales are less than $5000 year you may still go into our personal residential insurance programs. We now offer $5000 of accidental water damage, on a DP1 on a standard Fire, EC, VMM for a flat $100 AP. This applies to a tenant or owner occupied.
Unscheduled Contents coverage
Most home insurance underwriters will offer unscheduled contents coverage as a percentage at 40 or 60 percent of the homes insured value. With the prices of real-estate in today's market this can sometimes far exceed the value of our possessions within the home. If you believe you have excessive contents coverage you might consider asking your agent if you can reduce the unscheduled contents portion of your home insurance to 30 or 25 percent.
Liability Insurance
The Liability portion of your insurance is often considered the most important coverage on the policy next to the main structure coverage itself. Review your policy liability limits. If you find you have 1 or 2 or even 5 Million dollars in liability coverage and your home is a 150 thousand dollar typical suburban, you might want to consider a more practical range of 10. 300 or 500 thousand in liabilities. In some markets the extra liability included in the policy could be a beef up of a policy to make the asking price more palatable. Never the less though one should take an assessment of one's liability exposures and attachable assets from time to time to insure we have enough coverage to protect our exposures. These occasional assessments can also save us money on our insurance premium by knowing the limits of coverage we actually need.
Med Pay
Most insurance companies, and the windstorm insurance association members insurance coverage include options for accidental injury in the home. This coverage is most often referred to as "Med Pay" and considered by some to be an attractive policy option. Often this coverage is anywhere from 500 to 5000 or even 1. 000 dollars. When we already have a separate ACA compliant health insurance policy, this may be considered by many to be unnecessary double coverage on a home insurance policy. A major medical policy provides coverage regardless of whether the injury occurs in or away from home. You may consider asking your agent if there would be any savings by removing the med pay coverage from your home policy if you believe you already have a comprehensive Health insurance Policy.
Advantages of Market risk pools
Risk sharing pools in the United States offer an essential safety net for individuals and businesses who might otherwise struggle to obtain affordable coverage in the private market. These programs were originally designed to serve high-risk individuals such as those with pre-existing medical conditions or properties in disaster-prone areas—who faced limited or prohibitively expensive insurance options. By spreading the risk across a larger, publicly administered pool, windstorm insurance pools in texas help stabilize premiums and ensure broader access to necessary protection.
One major advantage of risk pools is their role in promoting insurance market stability. When private insurers face excessive risk from unpredictable or high-cost claims, they often withdraw from certain markets or raise premiums sharply. State risk pools absorb part of this burden, allowing private insurers to remain competitive and keeping coverage options available for consumers. This approach not only prevents coverage gaps but also supports overall economic resilience in areas prone to natural disasters or health crises.
RIsk pools often reinvest surpluses into public safety and risk mitigation initiatives, such as infrastructure hardening, flood prevention, or wildfire management. This forward-looking reinvestment helps reduce future losses for both insurers and policyholders. In short, state-run insurance risk pools embody a balance between market efficiency and public responsibility, ensuring that essential insurance protection remains accessible, affordable, and stable even in challenging circumstances.
