By Mitch Thames
Bay City Chamber & Agriculture president
The Bay City Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture welcomes the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) Board of Directors’ unanimous vote on Aug. 4 to direct staff to file a 0% rate change in its required annual filing with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), keeping windstorm insurance rates unchanged for the coming year.
The filing, which will be submitted by the Aug. 15 deadline, follows a recommendation from TWIA’s Actuarial & Underwriting Committee that no rate adjustment was warranted.
During the meeting, the board also received public comments from elected officials and stakeholders representing Texas coastal communities.
According to TWIA’s 2026 Rate Adequacy Analysis, the Association’s current rates are more than sufficient to meet projected needs, with residential coverage rates determined to be adequate by 9% and commercial coverage rates by 4%.
The analysis reflects significant improvements in TWIA’s financial position following legislative reforms enacted by the Texas Legislature in 2025.
Those reforms reduced the minimum funding level TWIA is required to maintain, lowering reinsurance costs, and exempted the Association from certain taxes - changes that have strengthened TWIA’s financial stability while helping avoid additional costs for policyholders.
“The Bay City Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture applauds the TWIA Board for its thoughtful, data-driven decision to keep rates unchanged,” said Mitch Thames, President and CEO of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture.
“Affordable and predictable insurance costs are critical to the economic health of our coastal communities.
“This decision provides much-needed stability for homeowners, businesses, and investors while reinforcing confidence in our region’s continued growth.
“We also recognize the important role the Texas Legislature played in enacting reforms that improved TWIA’s financial position, making this positive outcome possible.”
For businesses and families across the Texas Gulf Coast, stable insurance rates help preserve affordability, encourage investment, and support continued economic development.
The Chamber remains committed to advocating for policies that strengthen the coastal economy while ensuring access to reliable and affordable windstorm insurance.