Insurance commissioner highlights mitigation effort as homeowners continue facing high premiums and scrutiny over storm-claim practices.
OKLAHOMA CITY — As Oklahoma homeowners continue to face the nation’s highest average homeowners insurance premiums and ongoing debate over storm-claim practices, Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready is highlighting new data showing the state also leads the nation in hail-damaged roofs.
A new roofing report from Verisk, released by the Oklahoma Insurance Department, found that 49.7% of Oklahoma roofs were struck by severe hail during the past four years, the highest rate in the nation. In 2025 alone, severe hail affected 64.7% of roofs statewide, also the highest percentage among all states. Average roof replacement costs reached $17,631 this year, up 33% from recent years.
The report comes as broader questions continue over Oklahoma’s homeowners insurance market, including rising premiums and litigation over how some insurers handled storm claims.
Last month, Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a new lawsuit against State Farm, alleging the company used a nationwide claims-handling program to improperly underpay or deny wind and hail claims in Oklahoma. The lawsuit was filed one day after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the state could not pursue those allegations through an earlier consolidated action.
Mulready’s announcement, however, focuses on reducing future losses through stronger construction rather than on claims handling after storms occur.
“This report shows that mitigation not only works but also helps homeowners save money in the long term and generate more value for their homes,” Mulready said in a statement. The Insurance Department said homeowners participating in the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program save an average of about $720 annually on their homeowners insurance.
The Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program provides grants of up to $10,000 to help eligible homeowners install roofs built to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s FORTIFIED standard. According to the department, more than $4 million has been invested since the program launched in early 2025, resulting in about 400 fortified roofs statewide. Funding remains available for eligible applicants, the department said.
The Verisk report also found that nearly 29% of Oklahoma homes with asphalt-shingle roofs have fewer than four years of useful roof life remaining. It said older roofs can sustain substantially more damage during severe weather than newer roofs.
The department said resilient roofing standards can reduce storm damage and insurance claims while helping homeowners better withstand Oklahoma’s frequent hailstorms. Its announcement did not address ongoing litigation over storm claims or continuing concerns about homeowners insurance affordability, instead emphasizing mitigation as a long-term strategy for reducing losses.
