Texas What Happens Next?

Summary

Pending insurance claim settlements can be matched to delinquent child support obligors in two ways:

through an automatic data match, or
by the insurance company representative executing an interactive lookup on the Child Support Lien Network (CSLN) secure Web site.

The Texas Child Support Division will file a lien on the pending claim with the insurance company.

Once the insurance claim is settled, the insurance company representative must call the Texas Child Support Division (refer to the lien document or see Contact Information below) to obtain

the updated arrears amount, and
instructions on disbursing the money.

For interactive look up matches on the Web site

After accessing the State of Texas CSLN Web site and performing a successful interactive lookup of the insurance claimant, please supply your personal contact data (as requested on the Web page) to assist in the next steps:

Name
Title
Company address
Direct telephone number (including extension)
Secure or direct fax number

Next steps

Within a few days of the match, you will receive a “Notice of Lien to Insurance Company” from the Child Support Division (CSD) of the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Texas. The child support lien notice will contain the name and contact information of the child support officer who will be helping you with this lien (see also Contact Information below).

The CSD will also send a copy of the lien notice to the insurance claimant. The insurance claimant/child support obligor will be given an opportunity to contest the amount of child support owed with the CSD. In the event that the obligor’s contest is successful (e.g., satisfactory proof of payments not recorded on the child support payment registry), a child support lien with the updated arrearage total will be sent to the insurance company, or a release of lien will be sent to you if all the arrears have been paid.

The child support lien encumbers the insurance claimant’s settlement in an amount equal to the arrears total stated in the lien, PLUS any unpaid child support obligations which accrue between the filing of the lien and the claim settlement [Texas Family Code 157.318(b)]. Because of this, it is necessary for you to contact the CSD to obtain an update on the child support arrears total.

When you contact the CSD for an arrears update immediately before the insurance settlement, the child support officer will fax you an updated lien notice (although the lien’s date of attachment is governed by the date of the original lien notice). At this time the child support officer will provide you with information on how to make payment to the CSD. If the insurance claimant owes child support arrears under more than one court order, the child support officer will provide you information the respective amounts to be made payable to each court case.

Payment information

Generally, the payment will be made payable to:

Insurance Intercept
P.O. Box 245996
San Antonio, TX 78224-5996

for distribution by the CSD to the child support obligee according to law and must reference the Office of the Attorney General case number and cause number (listed on the lien and also available from the child support officer).

If there are more than one case/cause numbers on the lien, the child support officer will provide instructions on dividing the claim settlement among each case/cause.

Changes in the law

All states have new administrative lien and subpoena powers, in response to requirements levied on States’ child support programs by the U.S. Congress in 1996. State child support agencies can issue subpoenas administratively to any person, business, or entity to determine assets and to access personal information belonging to persons who owe child support. States can issue liens and levies administratively against the assets of delinquent parents in order to collect past due child support. In addition, Congress required all states to pass legislation that recognizes each state's administrative authority and powers across state lines. Thus, the States belonging to the Child Support Lien Network are operating under new law in order to discover insurance claim data.

How to participate

Contact the Child Support Lien Network using the Contact Information below to set up participation in the data match process or register on the Web site to participate in the interactive look up process.

Contact information

Texas Child Support Enforcement

Telephone (toll free) 866-445-4556

NOTE: Each lien or automated income withholding references a specific contact for the case.

Child Support Lien Network
Telephone 888-240-7488