2017 Oklahoma Renters Insurance Guide

Oklahoma Renters Insurance From Effective Coverage Gets Your Claim Paid Sooner

What the heck is a Sooner, anyway? While some state nicknames have unknown or strange origins, Oklahoma’s makes perfect sense. When it was still the Oklahoma Territory, before Statehood, there was a start date for official land claims.

Settlers were allowed to enter the unsettled parts of the territory and begin setting up their claims as of April 22, 1889. These settlers were, in some ways, the first Oklahoma renters – they certainly didn’t own the land. Native Americans had occupied much of the land in question, but this section had not been designated to a tribe.

Later, even land designated to tribes, was settled. Those settlers also didn’t own the land unless and until they lived there and improved it. While most settlers lined up and waited and followed the rules – thousands of them, in fact – there were a few who did not. They entered the territory “sooner” and gave the state its nickname.

The time between the Oklahoma Land Rush of Monday April 22, 1989 and statehood was quite short. Oklahoma became part of the Union on November 16, 1907. This is shorter than the time many other states spent in the same sort of limbo, and there are territories today retaining that status.

Oklahoma City was settled in a single day when more than 10,000 people flocked there. Oklahoma is known for a number of other firsts, as well. The first yield sign in 1950, the first parking meter in 1935, and the first (and still the only) capitol building with an oil well on the grounds. The parking meter is particularly telling about the state’s history, because the rural nature of most of the state made cars and trucks both practical and important for many people.

The reasons people move to Oklahoma in 2017 have changed since settlement, but one thing hasn’t changed in a very long time. OU Football is still a big deal around here. Oklahoma has been blessed with a long-term combination of a team that the entire state happens to be loyal to which is also consistently strong on the field. The Sooners have consistently maintained the highest number of wins and the highest winning percentage since World War II.

That includes 7 national championships, 45 conference championships, and 5 Heisman Trophy winners. Four coaches, including the current one, have at least 100 wins. If you’re moving to Oklahoma in 2017, it will benefit you to know something about football, since both the economy and many social interactions are tied to the game. How important is football to Oklahoma? In the fall, there are no weddings on Saturdays because they would conflict with games!

You’ll find most of the seasons you’re looking for here. Fall in Oklahoma is amazing. You’ll find rolling hills and beautiful trees in the fall, not unlike in the Northeast. Flowering trees grace the state in the spring, not unlike DC. The summers, however, are another story altogether. They’re a kind of hot you’ve never experienced, unless you were born here. That’s not a bad thing, just different. There’s plenty of natural beauty here, and plenty to experience.

Oklahoma also has a number of large and important cities that can give you the lifestyle you deserve. Oklahoma City is easily accessed by three major interstates, I-35, I-40, and I-44. Tulsa is a city of nearly 400,000 residents, and Norman has over 100,000 people.  Broken Arrow has been growing rapidly, which might have something to do with its median income being 30% higher than the rest of the state. Lawton and Edmond are also popular choices for smaller cities in Oklahoma.

If you remember 2002, or have watched syndicated television since 2002, you probably remember Chandler moving to Tulsa. If that’s the extent of your exposure to the state, you might be hesitant about moving to Oklahoma in 2017. There are great reasons to live here. Some come for the low cost of living. Some come for the family friendly lifestyle, the friendly neighbors, or the food. A few people even move here because they consider politics to be a spectator sport. Bills are regularly introduced in the State Legislature solely to make a point in the news rather than to actually pass a law.

In 2017 many people move to Oklahoma for the jobs and the rapidly growing economic opportunity. While agriculture is still an important part of the economy, mining, utilities, and construction have taken off in recent years. The improvement in the construction sector is particularly important, because it’s dependent on things like housing starts and new businesses coming into the state. Transportation, finance, and education are all important to the Oklahoma economy, as well.

Government is one of the largest economic sectors, worth about 27 billion dollars annually, the same as finance. That’s mildly ironic, considering that most Sooners believe in “small government.” Oil and gas have long been a crucial part of the Oklahoma economy. Recently, oil has taken a hit worldwide. It’s been tough on many economies, including that of Oklahoma. The state is recovering, because of the diversity of the economy. Unemployment is below the national average.

We all know there are a few places in America that act as population black holes, where people never leave, or to which they return quickly if they ever do leave. Oklahoma isn’t one of them. Many famous and successful people have come from Oklahoma and landed elsewhere.

• Johnny Bench, a baseball player you just might have heard of, was born in Oklahoma City in 1947.
• Vikings Quarterback Sam Bradford hails from Oklahoma.
• Some people may remember an actor by the name of Brad Pitt, originally from Shawnee, OK.
• Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, and numerous other music artists call Oklahoma home.
• Jim Ross, Jack Swagger, Mae Young, and a number of other professional wrestlers come from Oklahoma.
• Dr. Phil, Bruce Buffer, and Bill Moyers all are products of Oklahoma who found fame on national television.
• Elizabeth Warren is one of the most well-known contemporary politicians. She represents Massachusetts, but was born in Oklahoma City.
• Former FEMA Administrator Michael Brown (who resigned post-Katrina) comes from Oklahoma City, though he’s now a Denver radio host.
• Jeane Kirkpatrick, the first female US Ambassador to the United Nations, was from Duncan, OK. She’s most known for the Kirkpatrick Doctrine. It holds that America is obligated to support even the most distasteful governments across the world, so long as they are against the spread of Communism, no matter the cost to any other American interests.

Oklahoma is a great place to live, and you can protect your family with affordable Oklahoma renters insurance no matter where in the state you choose to live. Whether you live in a rented home, an apartment, or some other living situation that you don’t own renters insurance protects you and your future.

If you’re an Oklahoma landlord tracking insurance, you might be looking for an easy certificate tracking solution. Effective Coverage offers insurance tracking in Oklahoma and nationwide, with a simple platform and policies that are easy and affordable for residents.

• 2017 Oklahoma Renters Insurance Guide Table Of Contents

• Does Oklahoma Renters Insurance Cover Earthquakes?
• What Is Loss Of Use Coverage On Oklahoma Renters Insurance In 2017?
• How Much Does Oklahoma Renters Insurance Cost In 2017?
• What Is Protected By Renters Insurance In Oklahoma?
• How Should I Get Oklahoma Renters Insurance In 2017?
• Oklahoma Renters Insurance Fast Facts
• Bonus Section: 2017 Guide To Renting In Oklahoma

Back To Top

Does renters insurance in Oklahoma cover earthquakes? Does it matter if they are natural or the result of human action?

Earth movement is not covered by the standard renters insurance policy form. That includes mudslides, earthquakes, and similar events. There is an endorsement available for earthquake coverage. Whether or not you need earthquake coverage is a matter of your personal risk tolerance. Most Oklahoma earthquakes are fairly minor, and renters aren’t responsible for the building itself. How much risk to your property are you willing to accept? If the answer is “little” or “none,” you’ll want to consider the endorsement.

As to whether or not the cause of an earthquake is relevant to renters insurance, that’s easy. No. Earth movement is earth movement, in whatever form it happens to take. Many have tied the recent increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma to the energy industry. If that correlation is proven as causation, you may someday have civil recourse for damages from that earth movement, but that doesn’t help you today. If you want to be made whole quickly, make sure you have the correct coverage on your Oklahoma renters insurance.

Other common natural disasters include tornadoes. Policies do generally protect you from windstorms, including tornadoes. While again you’re not responsible for the building, a twister can quickly wipe out an entire apartment community and its contents. Policies are commonly designed to cover tornado losses, as well as many other common risks specific to the Oklahoma lifestyle.

Back To Top

What Is Loss Of Use Coverage On Oklahoma Renters Insurance In 2017?

When you have a covered loss on your Oklahoma renters insurance, it often causes you to need to stay somewhere else. Broken pipe? Time for a hotel. Fire or smoke damage? Time for a hotel.

Whatever the covered loss is, you and your family won’t want to stay in your home while repairs are being made. You might not even be able to. Often, a fire in one apartment can shut down utilities and access to an entire building.

Loss of use coverage pays for that hotel. Don’t forget that tourism is a big part of the Oklahoma economy. Hotels can be expensive, and they can also be difficult to find on short notice.

If you have a fire, the Red Cross might be able to get you two or three days in a hotel but for other losses, even that’s not available. That’s why your Oklahoma renters insurance covers additional living expenses. That’s not just your hotel, but also can include food and other additional costs.

Loss of use coverage protects your entire family. If your budget is tight and you have kids, surviving after a disaster can be very difficult. Your policy shields you from these costs and helps you to maintain your standard of living.

Back To Top

How Much Does Oklahoma Renters Insurance Cost In 2017?

The national average price of renters insurance is about fifteen dollars a month. Oklahoma renters insurance costs run close to that average, ranging between ten and twenty dollars a month for many people. That is the most affordable protection you can get for your property and your future, and it’s also easy to get covered. Effective Coverage has streamlined the process to make buying a policy easy and painless. A few quick minutes can get you the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Is renters insurance expensive in Oklahoma? Well, that depends on how you define that. According to Janes, the new Russian MiG-35  is very expensive. Mansions are expensive. Teslas are expensive. Replacing everything you own is expensive.  Renters insurance in Oklahoma? Not expensive at all. But the protection you get is priceless.

Oklahoma renters insurance is also far less expensive than a liability claim against you. What’s liability? It’s your responsibility for any bodily injury or property damage that you cause to someone else. You’re responsible for the costs of those damages, and they’re usually the result of your negligence. Renters insurance is also far less expensive than the lawyer that the policy will pay for to defend you against that liability claim – even if the claim or suit is false, frivolous, mistaken, or patently ridiculous.

You’re probably thinking that you just don’t need one more bill to pay every month. We don’t disagree, of course – no one actually needs one more bill to pay every month. But you pay the lights because you can’t live without them. You pay the rent because you need a place to live. You pay renters insurance because it ensures you’ll have a place to live and be able to replace your property even if the worst happens.

Back To Top

What Is Protected By Renters Insurance In Oklahoma?

Your personal property is protected by renters insurance in Oklahoma, of course. Most of what you own is considered to be personal property, outside of cars and real estate. If you have jewelry or other valuable items, you’ll want to ask specifically about coverage for them.  There may be a limit or a necessary endorsement to get coverage for the full value of jewelry and similar items.. Personal property is protected against fire, theft, vandalism, and other common perils.

Your future is protected by the policy, as well. Because liability coverage protects you from both the costs of damages you cause as well as the cost of defending against the lawsuit or claim, your current and future assets and income are protected. If you didn’t have this coverage, a judgement against you would mean that you could never save any money again because it would all be subject to the order to pay for the damages.

It’s important to think about who is protected, as well. You and your family are covered, wherever you happen to be. This even means that liability coverage extends to your children. If they’re under 13, they’re covered whether or not the result of their actions. Children under 13 can cause liability by getting in fights, pranks that go wrong or have unanticipated consequences. These losses are covered because they’re presumed not to have the capacity for negligence, and that too protects your future.

Back To Top

How Should I Get Oklahoma Renters Insurance In 2017?

Instead of spending all day shopping around, you can make it easy to get Oklahoma renters insurance in 2017. Effective Coverage has simplified the process so that you can get covered and get on with your life.

We know that you don’t want to spend hours or days dealing with renters insurance. While we enjoy making insurance a big part of our lives, we realize that you have other priorities.

The underwriting process is streamlined so that you can get covered fast. Because we’ve built strong relationships with major national underwriters, we’re able to get you covered with fewer questions than anyone else.

You’ll get a policy that offers the protection you deserve at a price you can afford, without wasting time. Time is money, after all. You’ll get replacement cost coverage on a broad policy form. You’ll also get access to insurance experts who can help you to understand the coverage as well as to understand your coverage needs.

Renters insurance isn’t something you should have to think too much about on an ongoing basis. You should be able to quickly get covered and know that the policy will be there in your time of need. Effective Coverage focuses on the details so that you can be protected and get back to your life.

Back To Top

Oklahoma Renters Insurance Fast Facts

• The average price of renters insurance in Oklahoma is about fifteen dollars a month,.
• Renters insurance in Oklahoma protects more than just your property in 2017!
• The average fire loss per structure is $20,700 according to the NFPA.
• Oklahoma renters insurance is designed to protect your family, but not roommates.
• Your policy defends you against claims and pays for the loss up to the policy limit, if you’re liable.
• Renters insurance protects you from liability risk, risk to your personal property, and costs incurred following a covered loss

It’s quick and easy to get started! You can click above and get covered in sixty seconds, or call (800)892-4308 to speak with an insurance expert who will take the time to make sure you have the coverage you deserve.

Back To Top

Bonus Section: 2017 Guide To Renting In Oklahoma

Your Rights And Renting An Apartment In Oklahoma

• You should have a written lease with your landlord in Oklahoma.
• Your lease cannot trade, bargain, or waive your legal rights.
• You should request security deposit return within six months. The landlord then has 45 days to give you the deposit and/or an itemized list of deductions.
• Where heating and air conditioning are present, they must be working. The landlord can’t just reduce your rent and tell you to buy a space heater or window AC.
• Oklahoma law limits repair and deduct to items under $100.
• If the landlord doesn’t provide a service, such as a utility, you can arrange for the service and deduct the cost from your rent. This is different from repair and deduct.

If you’re renting in Oklahoma, you’ll want to get everything in writing. That’s just common sense whenever you lease residential property, of course. But you should also know that the rights given to you by state law can’t be waived, traded, or bargained away in your lease.

If the boiler in the building is broken, the landlord can’t give you a rent reduction in return for you agreeing to purchase and use space heaters all winter long. If the apartment isn’t ready at the start of your lease, you can give written notice and get out of the lease.

Oklahoma landlords will expect you to pay a security deposit. That deposit has to be kept in an Oklahoma bank account that’s federally insured, and it can’t be co-mingled with the landlord’s money. After moving, there is a six month period during which you may and should request the return of your security deposit. The request needs to be written, and needs to include your forwarding address.

The landlord then has 45 days to return the deposit, along with an itemized list of what part of the deposit was kept. If the home is sold while you live there, the landlord must either give you back your deposit (to be paid to the new landlord) or tell you the name and address of the new owner and that they will refund your deposit after the lease ends.

If there is more than one unit in the building, your landlord is required to keep any common areas safe and clean. Your home has to be safe and livable. Your landlord also must ensure that all electrical, plumbing, sewage, heating, air conditioning, and other facilities and appliances are working and safe. These are among the rights that you cannot waive in your lease. If the AC breaks, your landlord can’t just give you a rent reduction for it – if the AC is present, it must be working.

What if the landlord doesn’t fix things? You can give written notice to the landlord that they have 14 days to make the fix, or you will move out 30 days after the notice and the lease will end. That’s the nuclear option, though. In some cases, it’s a useful option – especially if there are other problems and you want to move. Alternatively, if the repair will cost less than $100, your written notice can advise the landlord that you will take care of it yourself and deduct the cost from your rent after the 14 day notice period. Note that repair and deduct in Oklahoma is limited to repairs of $100 or less.

If something important is broken, and it’s the landlord’s fault or the landlord willfully chooses not to repair, you can end your lease and move immediately. You could also move somewhere else temporarily, without paying rent to your landlord while you live elsewhere. You can sue your landlord for the difference between the value of the home with and without the essential service that isn’t functioning.

Alternatively, you could make your own arrangements for the service and deduct the cost from your rent. If your landlord doesn’t pay the water bill and water was included in the lease, you can get your own service and deduct the cost. This is different from repair and deduct, without a financial limit.

In Oklahoma, a landlord can make rules that are not part of the lease. These rules should apply to all tenants. If they change the lease, of course, you need to agree to them for them to be binding on you. One of the most common misconceptions people have when renting an apartment in Oklahoma is that the landlord somehow is responsible for the tenant’s personal property. This is blatantly untrue.

If there is a theft, a leaky roof, a broken pipe, or some other damage to your personal property, it’s not the landlord’s problem. The landlord is not responsible for your personal property. The landlord does not insure your personal property and could not if they wanted to – it’s not their property. Only you are responsible for your personal property. Fortunately, Oklahoma renters insurance is an affordable way to protect your property and your family.

Oklahoma law specifically provides that any lease provision contrary to the law cannot be enforced. You need to know what the law is, so it’s worth having an understanding of Oklahoma landlord-tenant law. Without that understanding, you can’t determine whether or not your lease is compliant. Knowing your rights in any situation is crucial in 2017, especially when it comes to laws that affect your housing.

Renting in Oklahoma gives you easy access to anything and everything you could want, and there are strong tenant protections. Never forget that many of your protections come from your written lease, however. You should never rent an apartment without a written agreement because of that.

Living in Oklahoma is a great choice, no matter which part of the state you choose. Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Lawton, Edmond, Stillwater, and the many smaller cities and towns across the state all have a great deal to offer.When you’ve found the perfect apartment, get the perfect protection with Oklahoma renters insurance from Effective Coverage. You can get covered in under a minute by clicking above, or call our insurance experts at (800)892-4308.

Back To Top

Oklahoma Renters Insurance In The News

• Broken Arrow Apartment Fire Claims Life, Resident Property
• Creative Dinner Plans Spark Massive Apartment Fire, Lawsuit, Settlement Within Policy Limits
• NW Oklahoma City Apartment Fire Destroys Multiple Units, Contents