Tyler

A citizens' advocacy group explained Wednesday that Texans pay some of the highest homeowner insurance rates and it proposed reforms.

During a news conference in Tyler, Alex Winslow, executive director of Austin-based Texas Watch, spoke of making "common sense" changes to lower rates and increase accountability.

Texas Watch proposes to make the state insurance commissioner an elected position, require the state to approve rate changes before they are enacted, prevent companies from using credit scoring and what it termed other "unfair" practices and require companies to simplify often complex policy options in order to help consumers make choices.

"The Texas insurance market is broken," Winslow said, speaking outside a van used by Texas Watch in its current 16-city "Fix Texas Insurance Tour."

Citing information from the Office of Public Insurance Counsel and National Association of Insurance Commissions, he said that homeowners in Smith County pay nearly $300 more for insurance than the national average.

Winslow was joined by James Mason representing Texas Impact, another nonprofit group.

Mason said that for 20 years, Texas has had one of the highest percentages of residents without health insurance and that millions are "underinsured" and not adequately covered.

He called for steps to increase health insurance affordability, place reasonable limitations on coverage denials and offer tax incentives to encourage small-employers to offer health insurance.

In material distributed during the stop, Winslow said, "It is time for the legislature to tackle this (insurance) issue once and for all by cracking down on out of control insurance companies through real oversight and enforcement."