For Immediate Release:
July 3, 2023
Insurance Tips After the Storm
By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready
Recovery efforts are ongoing in Tulsa following the severe storms that hit over Father’s Day weekend, causing extensive damage, including fallen trees and widespread power outages. The storm has been far-reaching, leading to heat advisories, limited access to essential retail items and gasoline, and numerous residents still struggling to cope with the aftermath.
In response to this crisis, I issued an emergency order to help facilitate the recovery process. The order enables insurers to access out-of-state claims adjusters to assist in assessing the damage in Oklahoma and streamlines the claims processing by temporarily waiving local licensing requirements. I understand that recovering from a storm can be challenging and somewhat confusing when filing a claim for property damage. Here are a few easy tips.
- Take care of yourself and your family.
Your first concern after a disaster is your family’s health and safety. If the storm destroyed your home, business or personal property, know that cleaning up and repairing the damage can be physically, mentally and financially challenging. Most homeowners policies have coverage for debris removal, but only if those trees or branches have caused other covered damage. - Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible.
Document all your damages before you clean up. Take photos or videos and make a list. Make necessary repairs to prevent further damage and save all your receipts for post-damage repair and cleanup. Work with your adjuster and complete proof of loss to support your claim. When an adjuster visits your property, make sure you ask for identification. You can call the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) or visit our website to verify his or her licensure. Get any necessary estimates for repairs to determine if it exceeds your deductible. Contact your insurance agent to start the claims process as soon as possible. - Report damage and be aware of dishonest contractors.
Report damage to damage.ok.gov or call 2-1-1 even if you do not have insurance. This report helps emergency managers better coordinate recovery efforts and allows our state to potentially qualify for federal assistance. Also, unfortunately, behind every bad storm is a bad actor. Watch out for people going door-to-door or calling homeowners claiming to be building contractors. These could be scam artists, especially if they ask for financial information or money in advance. Report suspicious activity to local authorities and the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721. You can also contact the Attorney General’s Office at 1-833-681-1895 or ConsumerProtection@oag.ok.gov. Talk to your neighbors, friends or your agent for recommendations of reputable contractors.
I want to remind all Oklahomans that we are here to help. OID has excellent disaster assistance resources and a team dedicated to helping in your time of need. I encourage anyone affected by the storm to contact us with insurance questions or concerns at 1-800-522-0071. If you feel your claim has not been properly resolved by your insurer or your insurer is not properly handling your claim, you can file a complaint with the OID at www.oid.ok.gov/complaint. For detailed guidance and more post-disaster information, visit www.oid.ok.gov/AFTER.