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Texas Department of Insurance
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Commissioner’s Bulletin # B-0015-08

March 12, 2008


To:   All Insurers Writing Personal Auto and Residential Property Policies in Texas

Re:   Supplemental Bulletin regarding 2008 HelpInsure.com Price Comparisons Commissioner's Bulletin B-0049-07


In Commissioner's Bulletin B-0049-07, dated December 14, 2007, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) requested information for the Helpinsure.com website under the authority of Section 38.001 and Chapter 32 of the Texas Insurance Code. The information has been requested to enable TDI to provide consumers more detailed sample rates for personal auto and residential property insurance.

Bulletin B-0049-07 included instructions for calculating the personal auto and residential property sample rates and providing additional information. An Excel file with the record layout to use for the sample rate data file and the ZIP codes was provided as an attachment to the instructions. Since the bulletin was issued in December 2007, TDI has received technical questions regarding preparation of the sample rate data electronic files. Also TDI has determined that additional fields are needed at the beginning of each record in order to efficiently store and display the sample rate data. As a result, TDI is issuing this supplemental bulletin to define technical terms and provide final instructions for preparing the sample rate data electronic files. The definitions and instructions included with this supplemental bulletin replace the information provided under the "Sample Rate Data File" section of the attachments to Bulletin B-0049-07.

If you have any questions regarding this bulletin or the Helpinsure.com data call, please contact Melissa Hield via e-mail at melissa.hield@tdi.state.tx.us or telephone at 512-322-4349.

Mike Geeslin
Commissioner of Insurance

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE

2008 HelpInsure.com Price Comparisons

SAMPLE RATE DATA FILE - FINAL INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPANIES

General Instructions

  • Use the record layout in the Excel spreadsheet attachment included in the data call to submit the sample rates. The Excel spreadsheet also includes the ZIP code/county tables for the personal auto, residential property including wind, and residential property excluding wind sample rates. Please see examples shown below.
  • A company must report a "record" for each representative ZIP code for this data call. However, the field where the sample rate is reported may be empty if the company does not have a rate for a particular coverage or profile specified in the instructions.
  • Use comma-delimited fields in the data file.
  • Because the data file will be in a comma-delimited format, do not use commas in any data elements. For example, enter 1000 - do not enter 1,000.

Definitions

  • Record: Includes the sample rate data for one ZIP/county combination. A new record begins with the company's TDI number.
  • TDI Number: Use the company's four or five-digit number assigned by TDI.
  • MGA Number: Include only if the company or county mutual writes personal auto via an MGA. If not applicable then leave this field empty.
  • File Type: Submit personal auto sample rates and residential property sample rates in separate files. Designate file type by A = auto or R = residential.
  • File Subtype: For personal auto, submit a file with sample rates for a car and a truck. Designate subtype as follows: C = car or T = Truck. For residential property, submit a file with sample rates including wind coverage for the 333 representative ZIP codes, and a second file with sample rates excluding wind for the 42 ZIP codes in the designated catastrophe areas. Designate subtype as follows: I = Including wind or E = Excluding wind.
  • Effective Date: Include the effective date of the sample rates in YYYYMMDD format, for example, 20080501 for May 1, 2008.
  • ZIP Code: Refers to the representative ZIP code designated by TDI; see Excel spreadsheet tables included in this data call. In 2008, there is one (1) representative ZIP code located in two counties; companies are requested to submit rates for both ZIP/county combinations as shown in the record layout Excel spreadsheet.
  • County Code: See ZIP code/county name/county code table in Excel spreadsheet. Texas has 254 counties and each county has a name and a code.
  • Profile Values: The remainder of the TDI record layout file includes the profile descriptions. Use the description to calculate the sample rate, and display the sample rate value for each profile in the company's data file.
  • Total: Include a total for all the profile values as a "check sum" at the end of each record. TDI will use this value in the data validation check.

In summary, the record layout includes these fields:

1

TDI Number

2

MGA Number (Note: include only if applicable to company)

3

File Type (R=Residential or A=Auto)

4

File Subtype (I=Including Wind or E=Excluding Wind)

5

Effective Date

6

ZIP Code

7

County Code

8

Profile 1 value - Example: homeowners; frame; below average; 75000; 1; 0

9

Profile 2 value - Example: homeowners; frame; below average; 75000; 10; 0

10

Profile 3 value - Example: homeowners; frame; below average; 75000; 35; 0

11

Etc.

Last

Total = Total of all the profile values

Examples of records:

  • TDI#, MGA#, File Type, File Subtype, date, ZIP1, County, profile 1 value, profile 2 value, profile 3 value,...,total1
  • TDI#, MGA#, File Type, File Subtype, date, ZIP2, County, profile 1 value, profile 2 value, profile 3 value,...,total2
  • TDI#, MGA#, File Type, File Subtype, date, ZIP3, County, profile 1 value, profile 2 value, profile 3 value,...,total3

TDI CONTACT INFORMATION

Any questions regarding the Helpinsure.com website data collection instructions should be directed to Melissa Hield via e-mail at Melissa.hield@tdi.state.tx.us or telephone at 512-322-4349.

TDI Helpinsure Data Call Record Layout and Zip List

Commissioner's Bulletin No. B-0049-07



For more information, contact: ChiefClerk@tdi.texas.gov

Last updated: 9/24/2018