While the House debates the bill to reassess the Texas Department of Insurance, consumer advocacy group, Texas Watch, and Hill Research Consultants have presented a recent poll that shows just how badly Texans across the state, and across party lines, are hankering for real insurance reform.
Here’s a sample of some of the staggering numbers among Texas voters:

• 84% believe they are paying more and more for homeowners insurance and getting less.
• 82% believe that previous “reforms” simply benefited the insurance companies.
• 64% (with 72% of Republicans) believe that insurance companies work not for them, but for profit.
• 77% believe that the current system benefits powerful companies and lobbyists over homeowner.

With numbers like this, only one word comes to mind: Enough! Texans are fed up with the current system, and seek real change in the form of greater regulation, comparable options and simpler policies. In fact, the same Hill poll shows that insurance policies are so complex that many Texans aren’t even aware that they are paying premiums far above the national average.

This has gone on too long. Fortunately, the House has a real opportunity to recognize that insurance reform is not a partisan issue, and can move to enact some of the proposals put forward last week by Senate Democrats, like Kirk Watson. In less than booming economic times, homeowners shouldn’t have to feel burdened by over-priced insurance policies that provide less and less coverage. An overwhelming majority of Texans realize that it is time for change.