Oklahoma Governor: Audit of Insurance Department not Needed

Oklahoma’s governor won’t request a performance audit of the agency that regulates insurance because the department had one late last year.

In a letter to Sen. Harry Coates, Gov. Mary Fallin said the audit filed with state auditor and inspector by the Oklahoma Insurance Department covers the nature of the senator’s request that the department be audited.

Coates had previously asked the governor to require an audit of OID because of what he believes to be questionable spending by the department in the last couple of years.

The independent audit commissioned by the insurance department was filed with the Office of the State Auditor and Inspector on Nov. 30, 2012, according to the governor’s letter.

The state auditor’s office is prohibited from investigating the department without a request from the Governor, the Attorney General or a joint request from the Senate Pro Tem and House Speaker.