By Jennifer Gibbs (May 17, 2017, 5:25 PM EDT) -- On Feb. 1, 2017, the Texas Department of Insurance published the results of its presentation to the Texas Legislature titled: "Interim Charges: The Cost of Weather-Related Property Claims and Related Litigation." Notably, the results showed a 900 percent increase in the percentage of wind and hail claims involving attorneys or public adjusters since 2012 and a 1,400 percent increase in policyholder lawsuits — with over 50 percent attributable to the South Texas area.[1] Moreover, hail-related loss ratios (losses per dollar of premium) average 21 percent state-wide. But hail-related loss ratios in South Texas climbed to 268 percent in 2012 and loss ratios in the Texas Panhandle climbed to 314.8 percent in 2013.[2] These shocking statistics led to some insurers increasing homeowners' rates or simply withdrawing from writing insurance policies in the state altogether.[3]...