Texas / South Central News

Processing of Harvey Flood-Damaged Cars Continues, Boost in Car Sales Seen

As Hurricane Harvey poured on Houston, Frank Rodriguez feared for his 2014 GMC Sierra. Once he saw the pickup’s soaking-wet interior and center console full of water, he knew it was a lost cause. He just hoped his insurance company …

Texas County to Spend $20M on Harvey-Flooded Home Buy Out

County officials in the Houston area have decided to spend $20 million to purchase more than 200 homes flooded during Hurricane Harvey. The Harris County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to use the funds to speed up the buyout process, the …

Appeals Court Panel Overturns $663M Guardrail Fraud Verdict

Three appeals court judges have overturned a $663 million fraud verdict against a company that makes guardrails found along many U.S. roads and highways. The panel of judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on …

Texas Roofer Appeals Class Certification in Case Alleging Hail Damage Solicitation

A Texas roofer has filed an appeal disputing a class action finding in a case involving allegations of hail solicitation that could impact 3000 of its customers. The appeals case could have implications for contractors who act as public adjusters …

New Study Finds FEMA Houston Flood Maps Outdated Long Before Harvey

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood plain maps for parts of southeastern Houston were woefully out-of-date long before Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas coast, a new study suggests. Researchers at Rice University and Texas A&M University at Galveston studied one …

Harvey Recovery Czar Faces Limits in Texas Disaster Mitigation

The man tasked with overseeing Texas’ Hurricane Harvey rebuilding efforts sees his job as “future-proofing” before the next disaster, but he isn’t empowered on his own to reshape flood-prone Houston or the state’s vulnerable coastline, which has been walloped by …

FEMA Trailers Auctioned at Fire Sale Prices Prior to Harvey Landfall

The federal government auctioned off disaster-response trailers at fire-sale prices just before Harvey devastated southeast Texas, reducing an already diminished supply of mobile homes ahead of what could become the nation’s largest-ever housing mission. More than 100 2017-model Federal Emergency …

Cat Loss Update: 3 Weeks Post-Harvey

Three weeks after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, claims tallies and the storm’s financial impact are beginning to be calculated. The Insurance Council of Texas estimated $19 billion in insured losses resulting from Hurricane Harvey. The ICT reports massive …

Farmers Insurance Adjusters Camp Out to Process Texas Harvey Claims

To process tens of thousands of auto and property claims with losses already well into the billions of dollars, insurance companies have adjusters camping out across Texas. The Houston Chronicle reports in one case, the adjusters – many of whom …

FEMA Insurance Chief Says Harvey NFIP Losses Could Reach $11B

The head of the National Flood Insurance Program said Wednesday early estimates show Hurricane Harvey will result in about $11 billion in payouts to insured homeowners, mostly in southeast Texas. That would likely put Harvey as the second costliest storm …

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