Contact: Elouisa Macias, Consumer Assistance Bureau Chief
Email: Elouisa.Macias@osi.nm.gov

Santa Fe, NM – Pursuant to Governor Lujan Grisham’s Executive Order in response to the devastating Trout Fire impacting Grant County, the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) issued an Emergency Order to provide enhanced insurance protections and support for policyholders in fire-impacted areas over the next 90 days.

The Order requires health insurers to provide grace periods for premium payments, refill prescriptions early, cover out-of-network services, waive patient cost-sharing and prior authorizations, and cover replacements of essential medical supplies and equipment that were left behind due to evacuations. These emergency protections are intended to remove financial burdens and administrative hurdles to medically-necessary services.

The Order also requires property insurers, including those offering homeowners and automobile policies, to provide grace periods for premium payment and claims submission, waive deductibles, postpone cancellations and non-renewals, and suspend late payment fees. Most homeowners policies cover “Additional Living Expenses” (ALEs), such as hotels, meals, and other necessities for displaced policyholders.

OSI stands ready to serve New Mexicans when the time comes to resolve insurance issues. The agency’s emergency hotline number for the Trout Fire is 1-833-485-1336. For more information visit https://osi.state.nm.us/en/consumer-assistance/disaster-preparation/wildfire/.

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