Interim study will examine everything from severe weather and construction costs to reinsurance, litigation and building codes.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Two Oklahoma lawmakers plan to take a broad look this fall at why homeowners insurance premiums continue to climb, saying they want to identify the factors driving costs and determine whether changes could help make coverage more affordable.
Reps. Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan, and Chris Sneed, R-Fort Gibson, announced Monday they will lead an interim study examining the causes of rising homeowners insurance costs in Oklahoma, which they said consistently ranks among the states with the nation’s highest homeowners insurance premiums.
The study will examine a wide range of issues affecting insurance rates, including property values, construction material prices, labor costs and severe weather losses. Lawmakers also plan to review the cost of replacing roofs through insurance claims compared with similar work performed during new home construction.
Beyond those factors, the study will also consider the effects of litigation and legal expenses, reinsurance costs, building codes, fraud and regulatory requirements.
“This issue hits close to home for me in more than one way,” Adams, who works as a customer-facing insurance agent, said in a statement. “I hear the frustration across the desk and across the district. I see customers opening their renewal notices and wondering why their homeowner’s insurance premiums have increased again. I also hear from constituents who simply want to know why it costs so much to protect the homes they’ve worked so hard to build. I want answers too.”
Sneed said lawmakers intend to look beyond the most obvious explanations for rising premiums.
“We know property values have increased significantly, building materials and labor cost more and we know storms seem to love Oklahoma,” Sneed said. “There has to be additional factors driving these prices, and we intend to cover all our bases.”
The announcement builds on lawmakers’ growing focus on insurance affordability ahead of the 2027 legislative session. The House recently approved an interim study request on homeowners insurance costs as part of a broader package of studies examining issues expected to receive attention next year.
Adams said the goal is to gather facts rather than begin with a predetermined policy outcome.
“We are approaching this study without a predetermined conclusion,” she said. “Some factors may be outside Oklahoma’s control, while others may present opportunities for reform. Our goal is to follow the data, separate fact from assumption and identify practical solutions that could make a difference for Oklahoma families.”
The interim study period began Monday and runs through Oct. 30. A date for the insurance study has not yet been announced.
