Drummond, Mulready spar over insurance company practices

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready and Attorney General Gentner Drummond have aired grievances with each other this week related to an investigation of business practices of insurance companies in the state.

On Monday, Drummond announced that he had sent a letter to Mulready requesting the immediate release of an "overdue" state report on the handling of roof claims by insurers. He also criticized Mulready for repeatedly delaying a public hearing on insurance market competition.

In a statement issued later in the day, Mulready said he would not be used as a "political pawn" by Drummond, who is running to be Oklahoma's next governor, and that he would not allow the Insurance Department to be "bullied" into cutting corners on its ongoing examination of insurance practices.

Drummond, who has filed lawsuits alleging that insurers Allstate and State Farm engaged in schemes to systematically underpay Oklahomans on storm damage claims, said that Mulready announced late last year that an investigation into the conduct of insurers had been ongoing for two years and that a report on findings was expected in the first quarter of 2026. He said the release should have occurred six months ago.

"Oklahomans deserve answers, not excuses. The Insurance Commissioner made a promise and, once again, broke it, and every month of delay is a month insurance companies collect record high premiums," Drummond said.

Mulready responded that his top priority is to ensure that the state builds the strongest case possible to protect consumers. He said it's critical to follow established procedures to protect the integrity of investigations.

"We will release the findings when the examination is complete and submitted to OID by the independent examiner," he said. "I will not allow the Oklahoma Insurance Department to be bullied into cutting corners on a regulatory process simply because it fits someone else's political timeline."

Drummond also criticized the insurance commissioner for delaying a public hearing on insurance market competition. He said he first requested one in April and that by law Mulready should have responded within 30 days. Instead, the AG said Mulready "stalled and refused" before finally announcing plans for a hearing in September.

"Transparency is not optional. Hardworking Oklahomans are paying the price for the commissioner's refusal to comply with the law," Drummond charged.

Mulready, who is term-limited and will complete his tenure as insurance commissioner in January, said he has consistently found Oklahoma's homeowners insurance market to be competitive based on "every major objective measure" used by the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Reserve and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

"Even so, I scheduled a public hearing to aid in the administration officer's review of the evidence and issue findings for future rate filings," he said.

"It's election season, and I will not serve as the Attorney General's political pawn," Mulready's statement continued. "My focus continues where it has always been, following the law, protecting Oklahoma consumers, completing the market conduct examinations, and conducting fair, transparent public hearings based on facts, not politics."

In his letter to Mulready, Drummond accused the commissioner of choosing to back large insurance corporations even when faced with evidence that they have increased home insurance rates paid by Oklahomans by more than 50% in recent years.

"He was elected to protect Oklahoma homeowners, not insurance company profits. Now, he's running out of time to do the right thing," Drummond said.