Houston Suburb Charges Extra to Serve Accidents

A suburban Houston council has decided to charge insurers extra when firefighters and police officers are summoned to accident scenes.

The Houston Chronicle reports Missouri City’s governing council has voted to recover from insurers the expenses the city incurs when emergency responders are sent to accident scenes.

City spokeswoman Stacie Walker says the insurer of the at-fault motorists in an accident will be charged for the emergency services, which could run into thousands of dollars. Walker says lesser charges would be assessed on accidents with minor damages without injuries.

Walker says other Texas cities, including College Station, Marshall, San Angelo and Bryan, have similar programs.

Walker says the charges would be levied only if someone files an insurance claim and not if the insurer doesn’t cover the fees.