How Is Gov. Greg Abbott Looking to Manage Home and Car Insurance Costs?
In a major development just this week, Governor Greg Abbott unveiled two concrete proposals to address Texas's soaring insurance costs — rolling out the initiatives during a campaign stop in northwest Houston on July 15, 2026. Here is exactly what he is proposing.
Abbott Acknowledges the Crisis Directly
Governor Abbott outlined a legislative proposal aimed at reducing home and auto insurance costs, saying Texans have repeatedly identified rising insurance premiums as a major financial concern. Abbott acknowledged that Texas has what may be the highest home insurance cost of any state — and noted that Texas ranks number one in the United States for the most hail damage and most hail-related home insurance claims, coupled with an abnormal amount of wind damage from hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, and other wind-related disasters.
Proposal 1: A $400 Million Roof Fortification Program
The centerpiece of Abbott's home insurance plan is a major state-funded program to harden roofs against storm damage. Abbott's campaign outlined a $400 million program in which homeowners can receive up to $10,000 for roofs that can withstand wind and hail damage. Abbott proposed adopting a roof fortification plan, following in the footsteps of southeastern coastal states from North Carolina to Louisiana, as well as Kentucky and Oklahoma. Abbott said where this has been done, it leads to about an 8% reduction in premiums and, over the life of the roof, savings of more than $15,000.
Proposal 2: Rewarding Safe Drivers With Lower Auto Rates
On the auto insurance side, Abbott's proposal targets driver behavior directly. Abbott proposed changing Texas law to let insurers take moving violations into consideration when calibrating car insurance costs, with the aim of rewarding drivers for good behavior — and in states where that has been done, it could reduce auto insurance policies by as much as 30%.
The Price Tag and the Path Forward
Abbott acknowledged the roof fortification program is going to cost about $10 billion, but noted that the Texas budget surplus alone for each of the past four years would have been enough to pay for it. The proposals have not yet been approved and would require action by the Texas Legislature. Both initiatives are part of a broader affordability platform Abbott is campaigning on ahead of the November 3 general election against Democratic State Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
