Helping Ohioans Recover from Severe Weather Damage
by Judith L. French, Director
Each year in March a week is dedicated to severe weather and flood safety awareness in Ohio. Unfortunately, the real life impacts of severe weather occurred during the month with tornadic storms generating pounding hail and wind speeds in excess of 150 mph in some parts of the state.
The human toll and extensive damage prompted Governor DeWine on March 17 to declare a state of emergency for the counties of Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Mercer, Miami, Richland, Union, and Logan, where the Indian Lake area is grieving the loss of three community members, overcoming physical and mental pain, and finding the resolve to rebuild.
Led by Governor DeWine and different government and industry partners, which includes the Ohio Department of Insurance, insurance companies, and insurance agents, damage assessment continues and the recovery process is beginning. I recently visited the Indian Lake area and spoke with members of the community and insurance representatives.
Aside from community and stakeholder engagement, staff at the Ohio Department of Insurance are monitoring consumer insurance complaints regarding claims, insurance industry business conduct, and contractor insurance fraud. We are prepared to take any action necessary to ensure the state's insurance consumers are protected.
In addition, led by our Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office (MHIA), we are emphasizing the importance of mental health support for both tornado survivors and those aiding in the recovery efforts by explaining how to access mental health insurance benefits. MHIA staff are available at 855-438-6442 and getmhia@insurance.ohio.gov.
Another important resource is the Ohio Department of Insurance's Severe Weather Preparation and Recovery Toolkit, which provides safety tips, insurance coverage insights, and post-storm insurance claim-filing guidance. The toolkit also includes information about how to recognize and avoid contractor fraud with property repairs.
I encourage Ohioans with insurance questions, concerns, and complaints to reach out to Ohio Department of Insurance representatives at 800-686-1526, consumer.services@insurace.ohio.gov, and insurance.ohio.gov.
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Financial Protection with Flood Insurance
Some Ohioans could be without adequate insurance protection for flooding. Flood insurance is typically not included in most homeowners, renters, and business insurance policies. It has to be purchased separately, most oftentimes through an insurance agent. A 30-day waiting period usually applies before coverage begins.
Just one inch of floodwater can cause $25,000 of damage to a home and flooding is a risk nearly everywhere, according to the federal government's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
For insurance agents, educational information to better understand and explain flood insurance to clients is available from the NFIP.
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Avoiding Costly and Destructive Water Leaks
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and Ohio Department of Insurance promoted “Fix a Leak Week” in March to remind Ohioans that monitoring and fixing common household leaks can help save on water bills and avoid expensive property damage.
The average Ohio family can waste nearly 180 gallons of water per week just from household leaks alone. Common leaks can be easy to fix and the tools to repair them can pay for themselves in water savings.
The Ohio Department of Insurance also reminds Ohioans to conduct an insurance review with an insurance agent to ensure adequate financial protection and discuss the limits, provisions, exclusions, and endorsements that may apply to the terms of water loss coverage.
OSHIIP Hosting "Welcome to Medicare" Virtual Town Hall
Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French and representatives from the department's Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) are hosting a free “Welcome to Medicare” virtual town hall educational event on April 2 from 11 a.m. to noon for Ohioans new to Medicare.
OSHIIP's Medicare experts will provide an overview of Medicare, Part A and B benefits, Part D prescription drug coverage, Medicare supplement plans, Medicare Advantage plans, eligibility, enrollment, financial assistance, and important deadlines.
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Have Employees Turning 65? OSHIIP Can Explain Medicare! Schedule a Speaker Today!
Attention employers! The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program's (OSHIIP) Medicare experts are available to speak about Medicare to groups of employees set to retire. OSHIIP's services are free and unbiased, and the Welcome to Medicare speaking engagements can be done in person or virtually.
Call OSHIIP at 800-686-1578 or email oshiipmail@insurance.ohio.gov to request a speaker for your employees. OSHIIP's individual virtual counseling and Welcome to Medicare webinars are educational options as well.
States Issue Property & Casualty Market Intelligence Data Call Covering Over 80% of U.S. Market
State insurance regulators have united to issue a comprehensive, multi-state data call coordinated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, of which the Ohio Department of Insurance is a member, to collect and analyze data covering more than 80% of the U.S. property insurance market by premium volume.
The Property & Casualty Market Intelligence Data Call will gather data from more than 400 property insurers operating locally and across the country to give state insurance regulators a clear sense of what is happening in their individual property markets and the nation overall.
Rising property insurance costs and coverage challenges underscore the importance of this collective effort. As regulators manage market uncertainty, the wide-ranging data call will provide deeper insights into property insurance market costs, coverages, and protection gaps amid the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, escalating reinsurance costs, and continued inflationary pressures.
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