The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- Texas
- Level
- Sector regulator
- Authority
- Tex. Ins. Code 542.059(b) (disaster determination); Governor's suspension of claim-handling deadlines (Mar. 20, 2020)
- Issued
- 2020-03-23 Mar. 23, 2020
- Effective
- 2020-03-23
- End
- prompt-payment extension 'until the Governor's suspension and Commissioner's declaration are lifted'; the Texas State file records the bulletin's operation in 2020 (read as 2020-09-30)
- In force
- Mar. 23, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2020
- Quarters
- 2020 Q22020 Q3
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
- Limitation types
- Other
- Addressees
- all insurers licensed to write life, accident and health insurance
- HMOs, agents, TPAs, utilization review agents, MEWAs
- all property and casualty insurers including workers' compensation
- premium finance companies
- Functions reached
- IN (claim-handling deadlines; premium collection)
- CB
- Collection
- Financial Services SEC-13
Operative words
the Commissioner of Insurance has determined that the COVID-19 pandemic is a disaster under Texas Insurance Code Section 542.059(b).... Taken together, the Governor's suspension and the Commissioner's declaration have the effect of extending claim-handling deadlines imposed by the state's prompt payment laws for an additional 15 days... TDI expects all carriers to work with policyholders who may experience financial hardships due to the COVID-19 outbreak. TDI encourages carriers to use grace periods for payments, temporary suspension of premium payments, payment plans, and other actions to allow continuing insurance coverage as appropriate.
Enforcement
Commissioner's disaster determination alters statutory claim deadlines (force of law); premium relief is expectation and encouragement
Notes