Texas State Board of Insurance:

An Inventory of Property Hearings at the Texas State Archives, 1910-1957

Agency History

The Texas State Board of Insurance regulates the state's insurance and fire prevention industries primarily under the provisions of the Texas Insurance Code, the basic objectives of which are to ensure the financial soundness of the insurance industry and to protect the insurance consumer. The board determines agency policy, sets rules, promulgates and approves rates in certain property / casualty lines of insurance, hears appeals of administrative rulings, and enforces statutory mandates. The board appoints, with the consent of the senate, the commissioner of insurance, who acts as the executive and administrative officer of the agency. Associate commissioners, under the direction of the commissioner, oversee operations of four of the agency's major programs: the Regulated Lines and Licensing Program, the Financial Program, the Compliance Program and the Administrative Services Program. Regulated Lines and Licensing, with its property, casualty, life, and licensing sections, has jurisdiction for most of the statutory filings processed by the board. The Property Activity is responsible for regulating all property insurance and also administers the state's windstorm inspection program. The Casualty Activity covers workers' compensation; liability insurance; and automobile, title, bond, burglary, plate glass, and miscellaneous casualty lines.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is administered by the State Board of Insurance and the state fire marshal is appointed by the chair of the State Board of Insurance. The objective of the State Fire Marshal's Office is to reduce the number of fire deaths and injuries in Texas along with the incidence and severity of fires. The office provides coordination, training, and technical support to, among others, federal and state agencies with a need for, or interest in, fire safety.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

Records include official notices of hearings, hearing agendas, minutes and some transcripts of hearings together with related correspondence, telegrams, and reports of the Texas State Board of Insurance. Some brochures, catalogs, pamphlets, newsclippings, blueprints, maps and photographs are also present. Records, ranging in date from 1910 to 1957, consist of documents related to rate hearings held by the Board of Insurance concerning setting primarily fire insurance rates as well as rates for windstorm (e.g. tornado, hurricane) and other rates under "extended coverage" clauses for various kinds of property. Annual hearings were held and special hearings were called as needed. Notices of hearings of the board were sent to all insurance companies doing business in Texas. Agenda for the meetings were set according to items submitted for consideration by insurance companies and various parties. At the hearings insurance companies could formally present requests, proposals, or protestations involving proposed or existing legislation concerning insurance rate adjustments. Issues considered at the hearings varied from required material for production of water mains to proposals for changing methods of computing fire records. Kinds of property considered for insurance purposes vary widely and change over the years ranging, for example, from cotton quilt factories; harness, leather, saddle and shoe factories; dance pavilions and opera and vaudeville houses, to oil risks, "gasolene" or steam-driven motor vehicles, fireworks, schools, breweries, chemical plants, prisons, and rice warehouses. Envelopes originally used to house the documents were destroyed; notes on the envelopes about the contents were transcribed verbatim to the new folders.

To prepare this preliminary inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of content lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

None.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Property hearings, Texas State Board of Insurance. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession number: 1991/158

These records were tranferred to the Texas State Archives by the Texas State Board of Insurance on May 22, 1991.

Processing Information

Lisa M. Hendricks, April 1992

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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