Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready

On May 24, 2019, The Oklahoma Insurance Department issued Amended Bulletin No. 2019-Exec-01, protecting victims of severe weather in Oklahoma.

The bulletin points to certain types of conduct that will not be allowed:

  1. Insurers may not cancel, non-renew, or terminate coverage in the affected areas while this Bulletin is in effect.
  2. Insurers may not cancel, refuse to renew, or increase the premium of any homeowner’s insurance policy or any other personal residential insurance coverage, which has been in effect more than forty-five (45) days, solely because the insured filed a first claim against the policy.
  3. Insureds in the affected areas may request and obtain a copy of any of their insurance policies free of charge.
  4. Insurers shall not implement any rate increase for policyholders in the affected areas while this Bulletin remains in effect unless such rate increase was filed with the Department prior to issuance of this Bulletin.
  5. When prescription drug coverage exists for insureds in the affected areas, insurers shall allow insureds to obtain refills of their prescriptions even if the prescription was recently filled.
  6. Any licensed public adjuster performing services in the affected areas shall exhibit their adjuster license to any prospective client before entering into any contract for the performance of or before performing adjustment or settlement services.
  7. No person required to be licensed as a public adjuster by the Department shall require the insured to pay a fee in advance of the payment by the insurance company. The insured has the right to cancel any contract with a licensed public adjuster performing adjustment or settlement until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the signed agreement was provided to the insured.
  8. No adjuster may, directly or indirectly, own or have a pecuniary interest in any business entity which provides construction or reconstruction related services on behalf of an insurance claimant for which the adjuster is providing services.

Oklahoma has been decimated by tornadoes, hailstorms and extensive flooding in the month of May but at least homeowners will not have to worry about their policies being cancelled while they start the process of rebuilding their lives.

If you are a policyholder in Oklahoma and need assistance it is important to seek help form professionals who are experienced in insurance claims. You can contact the Merlin Law Group Oklahoma City office at (405) 218-1105.