AIA Completes Oklahoma Charity Fundraising

Members of the American Insurance Association have contributed a total of $30,000 to Oklahoma City charities to benefit victims of a tornado that struck parts of Oklahoma and Kansas in early May. The disaster inflicted $1 billion in damage with nearly $775 million in damages to the Oklahoma City area alone.

More than 100,000 tornado-related insurance claims were submitted with only a handful of coverage disputes between carriers and their policyholders.

According to AIA, the donations represent the insurers' commitment not only to their policyholders, but also to the communities at large struck by this disaster earlier this year.

"We are very proud of the way our members, as well as other insurers who do business in Oklahoma, responded to the needs of the communities struck by this tragedy," said John Marlow, AIA public affairs director, southwest region. "These contributions express our desire to provide helpful support to disaster victims which goes beyond the mere handling of claims.

"When disaster strikes, a local charity's resources can be stretched pretty thin," Marlow said. "Our members wanted to do their part in making sure these organizations had the resources necessary to give help to those who need it without putting a strain on the future needs of the community."

In addition to a corporate donation from AIA, association member companies making contributions to benefit Oklahoma tornado victims include: Fireman's Fund Insurance Companies, The Hartford, Kemper Insurance Companies, Orion Capital, Universal Underwriters and St. Paul Insurance Companies. The charities to receive contributions include the State Chamber Tornado Relief Fund and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Inc.