CEO Art Jansen Testifies Before Texas House Insurance Committee

As a past president of the Texas Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (TAPIA), Art Jansen, CEO of Jansen/Adjusters International, takes the association’s primary goals seriously. One of those goals is to protect the rights of Texas insurance consumers who sustained property damage.

Recently insurance policies in the state of Texas have begun including an “Anti-Public Adjuster” endorsement. This new language prevents the policyholder from hiring a licensed public adjuster to help in the case of a property insurance claim. This is equivalent to being audited by the IRS and not being allowed to hire your own accountant. Turning to public adjusters who are experts in property damage/loss insurance claims can make the difference between a client getting the fair settlement they are entitled to or receiving an adequate amount to restore their property.

Because of this growing infringement on insurance consumers’ rights to obtain advocacy on their behalf, Texas Representative Mary Ann Perez introduced what has been named the “Right of Contract” bill. On March 14th the Texas House of Representatives Insurance Committee held a hearing where Jansen and Jim Beneke, President and CEO of Austin based Beneke/Adjusters International, testified in support of the bill moving on to the full House of Representatives.

Advocating for policyholders is a priority for Jansen and everyone at Jansen/Adjusters International whether it's testifying in support of legislation protecting their right to be represented by professionals or helping clients on a daily basis to navigate the complex insurance claim process ensuring that they obtain a fair settlement.

To read the official hearing summary released by TAPIA please click here. To watch Jansen’s full testimony in front of the Texas House of Representatives Insurance Committee please refer to the video below.

Addendum

Surplus lines carriers have managed to find success across multiple states by incorporating the "Anti-Public Adjuster" endorsement into their policies. Undoubtedly, this endorsement poses the most significant threat to the public adjusting industry. The Texas Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (TAPIA) introduced House Bill 1706, which prohibits insurers, including surplus line carriers, from including any policy endorsement restricting policyholders from engaging a public adjuster.

The bill successfully passed in both the House and the Senate and will come into effect on September 1, 2023. This achievement is monumental since Texas is the first state to triumph in this battle, setting a powerful precedent for other states to follow suit in combating similar challenges across the nation. The bill was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbot on June 2nd, 2023.

House Bill 1706, authored by Representative Mary Ann Perez, prohibits insurers, including surplus lines carriers, from including policy endorsements that restrict policyholders from contracting with a public adjuster. This legislation safeguards policyholders' rights to engage public adjusters and addresses concerns about the growing inclusion of "Anti-Public Adjuster" language in insurance policies.

These achievements were made possible through strong leadership, effective lobbying efforts, TAPIA's credibility as a respected voice in the industry, a consumer-focused approach, and the active participation of members who raised concerns and contributed to the success of these bills. Let's celebrate these victories together and recognize the significant impact our collective efforts have made in advancing policyholder rights and protecting their interests.

For further information, please refer to the TAPIA's recent update.