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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to insurers as proper parties to suit for damages. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 10, Insurance Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 1810 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 1810. INSURER AS PROPER PARTY TO SUIT |
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Sec. 1810.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "insurer" |
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includes any insurer authorized to issue a liability insurance |
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policy in this state, including a county mutual insurance company, |
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a Lloyd's plan, an eligible surplus lines insurer, or a reciprocal |
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or interinsurance exchange. |
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Sec. 1810.002. INSURER IS PROPER PARTY. In a suit for |
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recovery of damages in which a defendant in the suit is an insured |
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under a liability insurance policy that may provide coverage for |
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the damages, the insurer that issued the policy is a proper party to |
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the suit. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a suit filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A suit |
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filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law |
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as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |