85R12424 SMT-D
 
  By: Anderson of Dallas H.B. No. 2131
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2131:
 
  By:  Phillips C.S.H.B. No. 2131
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of insurance adjusters.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 4101.002(a), Insurance Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  This chapter does not apply to:
               (1)  an attorney who:
                     (A)  adjusts insurance losses periodically and
  incidentally to the practice of law; and
                     (B)  does not represent that the attorney is an
  adjuster;
               (2)  a salaried employee of an insurer who is not
  regularly engaged in the adjustment, investigation, or supervision
  of insurance claims;
               (3)  a person employed only to furnish technical
  assistance to a licensed adjuster, including:
                     (A)  an attorney;
                     (B)  an engineer;
                     (C)  an estimator;
                     (D)  a handwriting expert;
                     (E)  a photographer; and
                     (F)  a private detective;
               (4)  an agent or general agent of an authorized insurer
  who processes an undisputed or uncontested loss for the insurer
  under a policy issued by the agent or general agent;
               (5)  a person who performs clerical duties and does not
  negotiate with parties to disputed or contested claims;
               (6)  a person who handles claims arising under life,
  accident, and health insurance policies;
               (7)  a person:
                     (A)  who is employed principally as:
                           (i)  a right-of-way agent; or
                           (ii)  a right-of-way and claims agent;
                     (B)  whose primary responsibility is the
  acquisition of easements, leases, permits, or other real property
  rights; and
                     (C)  who handles only claims arising out of
  operations under those easements, leases, permits, or other
  contracts or contractual obligations;
               (8)  an individual who is employed to investigate
  suspected fraudulent insurance claims but who does not adjust
  losses or determine claims payments;
               (9)  a public insurance adjuster licensed under Chapter
  4102; [or]
               (10)  an individual who:
                     (A)  collects claim information from, or
  furnishes claim information to, an insured or claimant and enters
  data into an automated claims adjudication system; and
                     (B)  is employed by a licensed independent
  adjuster or its affiliate under circumstances in which no more than
  25 individuals performing duties described by Paragraph (A) are
  supervised by a single licensed independent adjuster or a single
  licensed agent; or
               (11)  an individual employed by an insurer or an
  affiliate of the insurer who adjusts a loss not to exceed $500, or
  authorizes a payment on a claim for a loss for which there is a
  specified coverage limit of $500 or less, arising from a
  first-party claim under a property and casualty insurance policy.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.