Texas Department of Insurance Working for You

(March 2018)

(En Español) (PDF version)

TDI Telephone Guide: General Information and Assistance | Administration | Filings Intake | Financial
Inspections | Licensing | Life, Accident, and Health Insurance | Property and Casualty Insurance | State Fire Marshal's Office | Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) | Other Helpful Numbers

The Texas Department of Insurance protects insurance consumers by:

• regulating the industry fairly and diligently,
• promoting a stable and competitive market, and
• providing information that makes a difference.

This publication tells you about our services and has a list of helpful phone numbers. For more information or answers to general insurance questions, call our toll-free Consumer Help Line at 1-800-252-3439 or visit our website.

Regulating the Insurance Industry

Licensing

Texas law requires most insurance companies and insurance-related businesses to have a license to sell their products or services. TDI licenses:

• insurance companies and agents,
• third-party administrators,
• health maintenance organizations (HMOs),
• premium finance companies,
• continuing care retirement communities,
• insurance adjusters, and
• public insurance adjusters.

Compliance and Enforcement

TDI also enforces Texas insurance laws and rules, investigates misconduct, and takes enforcement action against companies and agents.

TDI may fine agents and companies that delay claims payments, misrepresent policies, charge inappropriate rates, or commit other unlawful acts.

Financial Regulation

To ensure that insurance companies have money to pay claims and expenses, TDI looks at companies' financial conditions and enforces rules to make sure they stay financially stable.

TDI publishes company profiles that show a company's complaint record and other information, including the company's history and any enforcement actions TDI has taken against the company. For a company profile, call our Consumer Help Line or use the Company Lookup feature on our website.

Insurance Fraud

TDI investigates insurance fraud and helps prosecute offenders. The most common types of fraud are selling insurance without a license, over-billing insurance companies, padding claims, or filing claims for losses that didn't happen.

To report suspected insurance fraud, call the Consumer Help Line.

Advertising

TDI looks at insurance advertising to make sure they comply with laws and rules, to detect possible fraud, and to guard against misrepresentation. TDI can penalize insurance companies and agents who use unfair trade practices or deceptive advertising. Penalties include warnings, fines, and license revocations. In some cases, TDI may require companies to refund premiums to consumers.

Technical Analysis

TDI reviews rates companies file with TDI and provides information to help policymakers and consumers. We also review data to detect problem insurance companies.

Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC)

TDI regulates the state's system to pay medical and income benefits to workers who are injured at work or who have work-related illnesses. The division:

• licenses workers' compensation insurance companies and networks,
• approves companies that want to self-insure,
• enforces workers' compensation laws and rules,
• promotes worker health and safety,
• provides access to medical care for injured workers,
• administers a dispute resolution system for disputes involving workers' compensation benefits, and
• provides services to help injured workers return to work.

Helping Consumers

Consumer Help Line

TDI's toll-free Consumer Help Line assists callers with insurance questions and concerns. The help line is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central time.

Complaint Assistance

TDI helps consumers recover millions of dollars in refunds and additional claim payments each year. If you have a complaint against an insurance company or agent, first notify your company. If you still aren't satisfied, you may formally complain to TDI. You may submit a written complaint in the following ways:

• on our Insurance Complaint Process web page
• by email at ConsumerProtection@tdi.texas.gov
• by fax at 512-490-1007
• by mail at
  Consumer Protection, MC 111-1A
  Texas Department of Insurance
  PO Box 149091
  Austin, TX 78714-9091

Workers' Compensation Medical & Income Benefit Dispute Resolution

DWC resolves disputes about workers' compensation benefits. Call DWC’s Customer Assistance Section at 1-800-252-7031.

Public Education and Publications

TDI gives presentations and produces free publications to help you better understand insurance. Visit our website to view our publications online or call our Consumer Help Line to have publications mailed to you.

Disaster Response

TDI sends disaster response teams to affected areas after disasters. These teams provide information about insurance, help people file claims, and help with consumer complaints.

State Fire Marshal's Office

TDI helps protect lives and property against fire hazards. The State Fire Marshal's Office:

• conducts arson investigations,
• conducts fire safety inspections,
• collects and publishes data from fire departments,
• enforces fire extinguisher, sprinkler, and alarm laws,
• licenses and regulates fireworks, and
• educates children and consumers on fire prevention and safety.

To report suspected arson, call our Arson Hotline at 1-877-4Fire-45 (434-7345).

TDI Telephone Guide

The information in this publication is current as of the revision date. Changes in laws and agency administrative rules made after the revision date may affect the content. View current information on our website. TDI distributes this publication for educational purposes only. This publication is not an endorsement by TDI of any service, product, or company.