25-05 – St. Louis Tornado Response - Claim Holdbacks, June 12, 2025

INSURANCE BULLETIN 25-05 St. Louis Tornado Response – Claim Holdbacks Issued: June 12, 2025 The following Bulletin is issued by the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (“Department”) to inform and educate the reader on the specified issue. It does not have the force and effect of law, is not an evaluation of any specific facts or circumstances, shall not be considered a statement of general applicability and is not binding on the Department. See § 374.015, RSMo (2016).

To: All insurers adjusting claims for tornado-damaged structures in the City of St. Louis From: Angela L. Nelson, Director

Re: Waiver of City of St. Louis Ordinance Pertaining to Insurance Claim Holdbacks

The Department issues this Bulletin to notify insurance companies of an immediate change to the process for claim holdbacks (withholds) for properties sustaining 50% or more damage from the May 16th St. Louis tornado. The City of St. Louis currently has an Ordinance in effect which requires such holdbacks, Ordinance 25.66.030.

Effective immediately, the City of St. Louis has decided to waive the mandatory holdbacks for structures that sustained 50% or more damage as a result of the May 16th tornado. For these properties, insurers should remit all payable amounts directly to the insured. Please see the attached Executive Order, with accompanying letter from Mayor Cara Spencer. The waiver is specific to those properties that are located within the “Tornado Impact Area”. The “Tornado Impact Area” has been defined as the following neighborhoods which are located within zip codes 63105, 63112, 63108, 63113, 63115, 63107, and 63147: Wydown Skinker, Skinker DeBaliviere, DeBaliviere Place, Central West End, West End Visitation Park, Academy, Fountain Park, Lewis Place, Vandeventer, Hamilton Heights, Wells Goodfellow, Kingsway West, Kingsway East, Greater Ville, The Ville, Jeff Vanderlou, Mark Twain, Penrose, O’Fallon, Fairground Park, Fairground, North Riverfront, O’Fallon Park and College Hill.

For further reference, insurers may also review the map that the City has available on this website: interactive tornado area map

To confirm, this waiver is specific to the City of St. Louis, and the holdback ordinance has not been waived for any other properties damaged or destroyed as a result of any other event on any other date. Accordingly, insurers should continue to withhold and submit funds to the City of St. Louis for claims on all other properties sustaining 50% or more damage that are the result of any other covered event.

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