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.