A family in Midwest City, Oklahoma, is fighting a long legal and insurance battle after an electrical surge severely damaged their home in July 2025. The Copeland family says the surge destroyed their home’s electrical system and ruined nearly every appliance they owned. Now, months later, they are still waiting for a fair insurance settlement while living away from their home.
Andy Copeland, a U.S. military veteran, and his wife Nikole say the situation has left their family struggling to move forward. They believe their insurance company, State Farm, has not properly acknowledged the damage caused by the incident.
Electrical Surge Allegedly Destroyed the Copeland Home
The incident happened in July 2025 when backyard power lines near the Copeland home reportedly sparked. According to cell phone video recorded at the time, the power lines maintained by Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) were visibly sparking before the electrical surge occurred.
The family says the surge travelled through their home’s electrical system and caused massive damage.
According to Andy Copeland, the surge destroyed major systems throughout the house. Appliances, wiring, and other electrical components were reportedly damaged.
Despite multiple inspections, the family says nearly every tested component in the home has been found to be non-functional.
Andy Copeland said investigators tested many systems in the house and confirmed that much of the equipment was no longer working.
Insurance Dispute with State Farm
The Copelands say their biggest challenge has been dealing with their insurance company.
According to Andy Copeland, State Farm initially offered only $48,000 to repair the home. The family believes that amount is far below the true cost of repairing the damage.
Independent adjustors who inspected the home reportedly estimated repair costs much higher.
| Repair Estimate Source | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| First adjustor | $290,000 |
| Second adjustor | $307,000 |
| Total claim including personal property | About $420,000 |
The Copelands say the large gap between the estimates and the insurance offer has left them frustrated.
Andy Copeland says it feels like the company is trying to prove their claim is incorrect despite multiple tests showing extensive damage.
Family Forced to Live in Temporary Housing
Since the electrical surge damaged their home, the Copeland family has not been able to live there.
For the past six months, they have been staying in hotels and short-term rental housing. These temporary living expenses are currently covered by a benefit included in their insurance policy.
However, the family says that coverage will expire next month. With repairs still not approved or started, they are worried about what will happen next.
Even though the house itself was fully paid off, the family says it is now considered a total loss and needs to be rebuilt.
Response from State Farm
State Farm responded to media questions with a general statement but did not discuss specific details of the Copeland claim.
The company said it has been working with the customer and their contractor to review the claim and address concerns. State Farm also stated that they aim to provide all benefits available under the policy.
Because of privacy rules related to customer claims, the company said it could not comment further on the situation.
Complaints Filed with State Officials
The Copeland family has taken their concerns to state authorities.
They filed a complaint with the Oklahoma Insurance Department, hoping the agency would review the situation. However, the department said it cannot publicly discuss individual claims due to confidentiality rules.
The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has also received a complaint from the family and confirmed that the matter is currently under review.
OG&E Responds About Power Line Incident
Since the electrical lines involved are maintained by Oklahoma Gas & Electric, the company was also asked about the situation.
OG&E said it understands the family’s concerns but noted that the dispute between the Copelands and State Farm is related to the insurance agreement.
According to the utility company, it cannot move forward with any potential claims related to the power lines until State Farm provides a final repair statement.
Family Considering Legal Action
With the dispute still unresolved, the Copeland family says they are preparing to take legal action against State Farm.
They hope a legal process will help them recover the full amount needed to rebuild their home and replace the damaged property.
For now, the family remains in temporary housing while waiting for a solution.
