Okla. insurance claims on May tornadoes top 60,000

Oklahoma insurance commissioner says more than 60,000 claims filed after May tornadoes

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Insurance Department says more than 60,000 claims have been filed from tornadoes that raked the state last month, with total insurance payments currently topping $470,000.

Insurance Commissioner John Doak released the latest figures on Tuesday and said it's only the beginning.

The May 19 and 20 tornadoes, including the EF5 that ripped through Moore, resulted in more than 16,000 homeowner claims totaling more than $326,000. Nearly 20,000 automobile claims also were received.

Another series of storms on May 30 and 31 resulted in more than 13,000 homeowner claims and 8,200 private automobile claims.

There have also been nearly 3,300 claims for damage to commercial property and commercial automobiles.

Doak described the numbers as staggering and says they will continue to rise.