Homeowners’ insurance rates increase as a result of last year’s tornadoes

The tornadoes that struck Joplin, Missouri, and other areas in 2011 will now be increasing the homeowners insurance rates as a whole, regardless of whether or not the area was influenced by any wind storms last year. According to data from the Missouri Department of Insurance, the rates for homeowners insurance in that state will be increasing by just over 5 percent. At the same time, state insurance officials in Illinois – an area also impacted by storms last year – have yet to provide any estimates as to how…

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Tips for getting your home ready for the upcoming spring storms

The spring storms are on their way, and if there’s anything that could be learned from the record breaking natural events that occurred last year, it was that it’s very important to be prepared for their arrival. Though there’s nothing that you can do to stop the storms, there are a few precautions that you can take to give you some peace of mind when the big storm strikes. As a reminder, Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week is running from March 25 to March 30, spreading the word about the…

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Oklahoma gap insurance to fill the additional need for flood coverage

According to a news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, despite the fact that flooding is the most common form of natural disaster in the country, statistics continue to indicate that individuals are ignoring this risk and are failing to purchase the gap insurance required to cover them against this circumstance. There are approximately 1.7 million households in the state of Oklahoma, and fewer than 34,000 (approximately 2 percent) of them are covered in the event of flooding, from a policy…

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Tornadoes and storms in Oklahoma create difficult insurance marketplace for consumers and companies alike

The National Tornado Preparedness Summit in Oklahoma City – an event sponsored by the Oklahoma Insurance Department, the National Weather Center, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners – is expected to draw almost 800 representatives from the insurance industry. According to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Insurance vice president of public affairs, John Wiscaver, the harsh reality for the state is that throughout the last five years, the marketplace has faced the highest historic loss levels among all organization histories. He stated that earthquakes, hailstorms, tornadoes, and wildfires have all…

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Understanding what is – and is not – covered by tornado insurance

The surge of destructive and deadly twisters last week has put the spotlight on tornado insurance once more, as consumers attempt to understand the type of coverage that it will provide, including why many homeowners are still forced to pay repair bills related to tornado damage regardless of their policies. The Insurance Information Institute has said that the majority of insurance policies for homeowners, businesses, and vehicles will include tornadoes as an element of their standard severe weather and wind coverage. Typically speaking, renters’ and homeowners’ insurance will cover the…

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