MARCH 2017 MEETING
Wednesday, March 8, 2017 (1.0 PDH)

TECHNICAL PROGRAM

Updated Requirements for House Bill 2439 and Required Paperwork for Qualified Inspectors.

Speaker: Michael Babin with TDI Windstorm Inspections  Education / Oversight , Angleton Field office. Tel. 1-800-248-6032 ext. 39004.

Mr. Babin has been with the TDI. Windstorm inspection group for 21 years. He provides oversight of inspections on appointed engineers and provides answers to field questions.  Michael Babin is the supervisor of three field offices, providing quality control over field inspection staff. Currently his main focus is educating engineers and suppliers. Babin also works as an Oversight inspector with the TDI's Austin Engineering staff.

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

The presentation covered House Bill 2439 that was implemented January 1, 2017 and the new appointment rule for appointed qualified inspectors.

House Bill 2439 amends Insurance Code provisions relating to inspections and other activities conducted by engineers in connection with the issuance of windstorm and hail insurance under the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Act. The bill revises the inspection and certificate of compliance requirements established under the act by, among other provisions, establishing distinct procedures and requirements for the issuance of a certificate of compliance for a completed improvement and for the issuance of a certificate of compliance for an ongoing improvement, with inspection by a qualified inspector required only for ongoing improvements, and by revising the role of professional engineers in connection with that process. In addition, the bill makes any licensed professional engineer eligible to be a qualified inspector and prohibits the commissioner of insurance from adopting or enforcing a rule that requires a licensed engineer to affix the engineer's seal to an inspection form for TWIA coverage.

Mr. Babin also covered how to treat completed construction and receive a WPI-8-C and the importance of signing up for training on component and cladding.

PAST PRESENTATIONS

To read summaries of previous FPA presentations by Michael Babin, please click

September 2016 - Windstorm Program
July 2015 - Windstorm Program - Who, Where and What Needs to be Inspected