Thursday, August 8, 2013
OKLAHOMA CITY – The recent tornado outbreak has left many Oklahomans in the difficult position of trying to obtain homeowners insurance after a major loss. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak wants to remind those consumers about the Oklahoma Market Assistance Program (OK-MAP). The program is designed to find protection for hard-to-insure homes.
“There are several reasons a home is difficult to insure,” said Doak. “It could be the location of your home, the number of claims you’ve submitted or even the presence of a wood-burning stove in the home. Mobile homes can also be difficult to insure. That was a big problem we saw after last year’s wildfires. Bottom line, if the traditional insurance market won’t cover you, OK-MAP may be able to help.”
Any Oklahoma homeowner who has been declined coverage by two insurers is eligible to apply for assistance. After an application is submitted, it is randomly assigned to a carrier. An application may be sent to a maximum of three carriers. If no carrier accepts the risk, it goes to the OK-MAP Executive Committee for review. If none of the carriers on the committee will accept the application, the Insurance Commissioner can assign it to a carrier or determine that the risk is uninsurable.
To apply, homeowners must complete the Homeowners Insurance Questionnaire, Additional Underwriting Form and Wood Burning Stove Form (if applicable) available at http://www.mapsprogram.com/. The forms must then be submitted to: Oklahoma Market Assistance Program, PO Box 13488, Oklahoma City, OK 73113 or faxed to (405) 840-4450. For more information, call (405) 842-9883 or email okmap@iiaok.com.
About the Oklahoma Insurance Department
The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state.
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For more information contact:
Kelly Collins
(405) 522-0683