Home, Auto Credit Hearings:

The Texas Department of Insurance will hold a public hearing on Oct. 22, 2003 to address issues related to homeowners and auto insurance, and the use of credit information in certain personal lines insurance. The hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. First to be considered will be Docket No. 2572, which concerns residential property insurance or personal automobile insurance and allowable rate differences for rating territories that subdivide a county. Docket No. 2573, which addresses the use of credit information or credit scoring in certain personal lines of insurance, is second on the agenda. The commissioner will consider proposed sections to the Insurance Code that require disclosure by an insurer or its agents to its customers concerning whether credit information will be obtained and used as part of an insurance credit scoring process. They also specify how an insurer may vary its rates due solely to credit scoring.