Public Announcements

DFW RIMS External Affairs Committee | April Update
Tracking Policy, Courts & Advocacy Shaping the Risk Landscape

🏛️ News from the Hill

The release of interim charges has laid the groundwork for the upcoming 90th Texas Legislative Session. Both chambers are focusing on rising Property & Casualty insurance premiums to promote competition and long-term market stability.

House of Representatives

The House is examining cost drivers behind increasing P&C premiums, creating a critical opportunity for risk managers to elevate social inflation—particularly as Texas continues attracting large corporations and complex risk profiles.

Texas Senate

The Senate’s interim charge, Strengthening Regulatory Oversight and Access to Affordable Insurance for Texans, focuses on affordability, consumer protection, and regulatory efficiency. Lawmakers are evaluating how escalating litigation and social inflation influence rates and insurer participation.

The External Affairs Committee will continue monitoring these studies and provide updates as policy discussions evolve.

⚖️ Texas Supreme Court Decision Watch

Key Rulings | March 2026

S&B Engineers & Constructors, Ltd. v. Scallon Controls, Inc. (March 13, 2026)
The Court ruled 5–4 that a settling party and its insurer may pursue contractual proportional indemnity from a non-settling party, confirming the continued enforceability of Intermediate Form indemnity provisions.

Why it matters:

• Clear win for Owners and General Contractors
• Allows claims to proceed but does not guarantee recovery

In re Winter Storm Uri MDL (March 27, 2026)
The Court declined mandamus, allowing lower court rulings to stand—impacting generation-sector litigation stemming from the 2021 storm.

Diamond Hydraulics, Inc. v. GAC Equipment, LLC (March 27, 2026)
The Court ruled defendants may substitute expert witnesses when prior experts become unavailable for reasons beyond their control.

Key takeaway:
Courts may not impose exclusion sanctions when expert substitution is justified by good faith and good cause.

📄 Procedural Update

• No-evidence motions must be specific
• Judges must issue written rulings within 90 days

These changes improve predictability but require faster coordination between claims teams and counsel.

💥 Texas Nuclear Verdict Watch

Salinas v. Marten Transport
$20M+ Verdict | Webb County | March 10, 2026

A Laredo jury returned a $20M+ verdict in a catastrophic trucking collision, relying heavily on dash-cam footage and eyewitness testimony. ⚠️ This verdict highlights increasingly aggressive jury sentiment.

 Equinor Energy LP v. Lindale Pipeline LLC
$26M Verdict Reversal | March 19, 2026

The Texas Supreme Court overturned a $26M verdict, reinforcing contract certainty and enforcing parties’ chosen language.

🏛️ Advocacy in Action

Past Chapter President Marissa Holland joined a delegation of risk leaders to Washington, D.C., on March 18th and 19th. The group engaged in high-level discussions with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), and Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) regarding the real-world impact of federal policy on the business community.
Advocacy discussions focused on Association Tax Reform, the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), and the critical need for Third-Party Litigation Funding transparency. These conversations highlighted how bipartisan collaboration is essential for long-term economic resilience and insurance availability.

Texas Delegation Participants

• Penni Chambers, VP of Risk Management, Hillwood Development (DFW RIMS)
• Marissa Holland, Director of Risk Management, Hillwood Development (DFW RIMS)
• Liliana Rojas, Executive Commercial Lines Producer, HUB International (San Antonio RIMS)
• Christy Kaufman, VP of P&C Risk & Chief Compliance Officer, USAA (VP of Global RIMS, San Antonio RIMS)

We strongly encourage our members to represent Texas at the 2027 Legislative Summit.

🎯 External Affairs Committee

The Committee is focused on two primary goals for 2026. First, we aim to be your primary source for legislative and regulatory news, providing actionable insights into political movements. Second, we strive to create momentum toward positive tort reform to address the socioeconomic challenges created by volatile insurance markets. We believe a unified front across all Texas RIMS chapters can function as a forceful agent for change at the state capital.

Cory Mangum  
DFW RIMS External Affairs Committee Chair
[email protected]