TDI STAFF ASSISTING STORM VICTIMS

The Texas Department of Insurance announced that beginning Sept. 26, staff members were deployed to its Houston Insurance Assistance Center to assist Hurricane Rita victims with their insurance questions and claims, including workers’ compensation claims. The IAC is located at 6059 South Loop East in Houston, the same location as the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened to assist Hurricane Katrina victims.

TDI staff will help consumers obtain prompt responses from the insurance industry regarding their insurance claims and questions. The faster homeowners and automobile policyholders can talk with their carriers, the sooner the claims process can commence. For homeowners policyholders, this means the possibility of payment for additional living expenses.

If an evacuee is an injured worker and was being paid workers’ compensation benefits on the date the day evacuations were ordered, TDI can assist those injured workers with their workers’ comp claims. Injured workers should call TDI’s Division of Workers’ Compensation at (800) 372-7713. Division staff will forward information to the appropriate authorities of the state or insurance carrier for further handling and communication with the injured worker.

Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina insurance information is also available at the department’s Web site at www.tdi.state.tx.us or by calling TDI’s Consumer Help Line: (800) 252-3439.