OKLAHOMA CITY – An insurance carrier’s customers who use their personally owned vehicles to deliver groceries and medicine to neighbors and strangers alike during the coronavirus pandemic are temporarily covered.
Allstate recently announced its intention to relax certain automobile insurance policy restrictions because of the spread of COVID-19.
To ensure workers have adequate protection while using their personal vehicles to deliver food and medicine, Allstate is modifying its coverage to eliminate any terms, conditions or exclusions that might apply during the state of emergency, the state Insurance Department reported.
With pharmacies and restaurants across Oklahoma temporarily closing their doors and dining rooms, many are relying on carry-out and delivery options to remain open. The pandemic has created conditions that require a greater need for vital goods and services and more drivers to deliver them. However, personal automobile policies do not typically provide coverage for vehicles used for commercial purposes.
“Some of these people are our valued Allstate custom-ers,” said Noel Cole Young, regional counsel for AllstateInsurance Co. “The company appreciates their efforts and would like to assist them by temporarily easing certain personal automobile insurance policy restrictions,”
The Oklahoma InsuranceDepartment has received in-formation from insurers on business preparations and how they are addressing unique challenges of policy-holders, Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready said.
“I applaud Allstate for taking the initiative to make this temporary change and allow coverage for their customers who are serving Oklahomansduring this unprecedented public health emergency,” Mulready said. “This flexibility will help protect jobs and preserve local economies. I encourage other insurers to find innovative solutions to address this temporary interruption in our everyday lives."