CJ-2026-00113 - Tim Rumachik and Taisa Rumachik v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company

What's This Case About?

Let’s be real: you don’t expect a hailstorm to turn into a war with one of the biggest insurance companies in America. But for Tim and Taisa Rumachik, a March 2025 storm didn’t just pummel their roof—it kicked off a full-blown legal siege against State Farm, complete with accusations of corporate greed, fraud, and a betrayal so deep they’re now demanding $150,000 in damages. And no, they’re not mad about a few dents. They’re mad because they paid their premiums like good little policyholders, only to be allegedly strung along, misled, and then stiffed when it came time to cash the check.

So who are these people? Tim and Taisa Rumachik are just your average Oklahoma homeowners—living at 21357 East 40th Street South in Broken Arrow, minding their business, paying their bills, probably grilling on weekends and arguing over whose turn it is to take out the trash. They’re not storm chasers. They’re not insurance lawyers. They’re just folks who, like millions of Americans, bought a homeowners policy thinking, “Well, if something happens, State Farm will be there.” That’s the slogan, right? Not “We’re only kind of here, depending on our quarterly earnings.” They had a policy—number 36-CQ-C833-9—with State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, and when a nasty combo of hail and wind ripped through their neighborhood on March 14, 2025, they did the responsible thing: they filed a claim. Claim number 36-83C3-05L. Case closed? Not even close.

What happened next reads like a slow-motion insurance horror movie. The storm hits. The damage is real—shingles torn, siding battered, the kind of mess that makes you wonder if your roof is still technically a roof. The Rumachiks call State Farm. An adjuster is assigned. Promises are made. “We’ll investigate.” “We’ll evaluate.” “We’ll make this right.” But instead of a swift payout, they got radio silence, delays, and what they describe as a “lengthy investigation” that went nowhere fast. State Farm didn’t say no outright—at least not at first. They dangled hope like a carrot on a stick: more meetings, more requests for information, more “we’re still looking into it.” But eventually, the truth came out: they weren’t going to cover the full cost of repairs. Only a portion. The rest? Tough luck.

Now, most of us would probably just scream into a pillow and start a GoFundMe. But the Rumachiks? They lawyered up. And not just any lawyers—storm lawyers. That’s a thing, by the way. There’s an entire niche legal industry built around helping homeowners battle insurers after natural disasters. Their attorneys, Grayson L. Jones of Catastrophic Claims Legal Group and Derek L. Fadner of Storm Law Partners, PLLC, didn’t hold back. They didn’t just accuse State Farm of being slow or stingy. They went full scorched earth: breach of contract, fraud, bad faith—the legal trifecta of insurance rage. According to the filing, State Farm didn’t just make a mistake. They allegedly lied. They promised to pay, then didn’t. They promised a fair investigation, then dragged their feet. They allegedly put their own profits ahead of their customer’s needs—something that, if proven, would be a major no-no in the world of insurance law.

And here’s where it gets spicy: the Rumachiks aren’t just saying, “Hey, pay for my roof.” They’re claiming this isn’t about one bad adjuster. It’s about a system. They allege that State Farm has a corporate policy—yes, written into training, goals, and employee incentives—to reduce, delay, or flat-out avoid paying claims. That’s not just bad customer service. That’s a potential pattern of fraud. They’re basically accusing State Farm of running a protection racket: “Pay us every month, and maybe, if we feel like it and the stars align, we’ll help you when disaster strikes.” That’s not insurance. That’s emotional blackmail with a logo.

So why are they in court? Let’s break it down like we’re explaining it to a jury of your slightly confused but very invested neighbors. First, breach of contract: you pay for a service, they don’t deliver. Simple. The Rumachiks had a policy. The policy should’ve covered storm damage. State Farm didn’t pay up. That’s a broken promise. Second, fraud: this is the “they lied to us” part. The filing says State Farm made specific promises—like “we’ll pay,” “we’ll investigate fairly,” “we’ll process this quickly”—that they never intended to keep. If you say those things to get someone to wait, while secretly planning to deny the claim, that’s not just shady. In court, it’s potentially illegal. Third, bad faith: this is the big one in insurance law. Insurers have a legal duty to treat their customers fairly. They can’t drag their feet, mislead, or lowball claims just to save a buck. If they do, they’re not just breaking the contract—they’re violating a moral and legal obligation. And when that happens, courts can slap them with punitive damages—not to compensate the victim, but to punish the company and say, “Don’t do this again.”

Now, about that $150,000 demand. The Rumachiks are asking for over $75,000 in actual damages—likely covering the unpaid repairs, temporary fixes, and other out-of-pocket costs. Then, another over $75,000 in punitive damages—money meant to punish State Farm, not reimburse the homeowners. Is $150,000 a lot? For a roof, maybe. For a legal battle against a multi-billion-dollar insurance giant? It’s a slap on the wrist with a slightly heavier hand. State Farm reported over $100 billion in revenue in 2024. To them, $150,000 is like you or me losing a ten-dollar bill in the couch cushions. But symbolically? It’s huge. This isn’t just about money. It’s about sending a message: We see what you’re doing. And we’re not going to take it.

So what’s our take? Look, we’re not rooting for people to scam insurance companies. That’s a slippery slope that ends with all of us paying higher premiums. But we are rooting for accountability. The most absurd part of this case isn’t that a couple is suing their insurer. It’s that this kind of thing happens all the time. People get hit by storms, file claims, and then get ghosted, stonewalled, or offered pennies on the dollar. And often, they just give up. They can’t afford lawyers. They’re tired. They’ve got lives to rebuild. But the Rumachiks didn’t fold. They said, “No. You took our money for years. Now it’s your turn.” And honestly? Good for them.

This case could be just another insurance dispute lost in the legal shuffle. Or it could be the start of something bigger—a crack in the armor of an industry that too often treats claims like math problems instead of people’s lives. We’re not saying State Farm is the devil. But if they did train employees to delay and deny, if they did lie to keep profits high, then this lawsuit isn’t petty. It’s necessary. And if the Rumachiks win? That $150,000 won’t just fix their roof. It might just fix a system. Or at least make it sweat a little.

Case Overview

$75,000 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Wagoner County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Grayson L. Jones

Catastrophic Claims Legal Group

Relief Sought

$75,000 Monetary

$75,000 Punitive

Plaintiffs

Tim Rumachik and Taisa Rumachik individual
Rep: Grayson L. Jones, OBA # 36355, Catastrophic Claims Legal Group, and Derek L. Fadner, Storm Law Partners, PLLC

Defendants

State Farm Fire and Casualty Company business

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	breach of contract, fraud, bad faith	Plaintiffs allege that Defendant State Farm Fire and Casualty Company breached its contractual obligations to pay for the full damages caused by the hail and wind storm, committed fraud, and violated its duty of good faith and fair dealing.

Petition Text

860 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF WAGONER COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA TIM RUMACHIK AND TAISA RUMACHIK, Plaintiffs, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Defendant. Case No. CJ-26-113 PETITION COMES NOW, Plaintiffs, Tim Rumachik and Taisa Rumachik ("Plaintiffs") and for their causes of action against the Defendant, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company ("Defendant"), allege and state as follows: 1. The instant case involves hail and wind damage losses which occurred on or about March 14, 2025, at Plaintiffs’ property (the "Property") situated in 21357 East 40th Street South, Broken Arrow, OK 74014. 2. The instant case also involves a policy of insurance made and breached in Wagoner, Oklahoma; therefore, venue is proper. 3. Plaintiffs, Tim Rumachik and Taisa Rumachik are residents of Oklahoma. 4. Upon information and belief, Defendant, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, is a Foreign insurance company and was at all times hereinafter mentioned, and is now duly organized, existing, and authorized to conduct business in Oklahoma. 5. At the time of the loss, Plaintiffs were insured by State Farm Fire and Casualty Company under policy number 36-CQ-C833-9, which covered the Property. The policy was in full force and effect at the time of the loss. 6. On or about March 14, 2025, the Property suffered major hail and wind damage. 7. The Plaintiffs made a claim for his losses under the policy and was assigned claim number 36-83C3-05L. 8. Following a lengthy investigation, the Defendant has ultimately refused to fully cover the damages sustained to the property. 9. Though the Defendant continues to seek to engage in settlement discussions, and request additional information, the Defendant has breached its contractual obligations to timely and fully pay for the losses resulting from hail and wind damage to the Property, and has violated its duty of good faith and fair dealing. 10. Plaintiffs allege as follows against the Defendant: a. The Defendant has breached its contractual obligations to pay for the Plaintiffs covered losses under the provisions of the policy number 36-CQ-C833-9; b. Defendant committed fraud by making false statement(s) to the Plaintiffs on which the Plaintiffs relied upon their detriment, specifically: 1. Promising to pay for damages it subsequently denied; 2. Promising to conduct a fair and impartial investigation; 3. Promising to timely evaluate, investigate and process the claim; 4. Delayed conducting its investigation and processing the claim; 5. Failing to consider the needs of its insured equal to its own; and 6. Other particulars. c. Plaintiffs have been harmed as a direct result of Defendant State Farm Fire and Casualty Company's material and false statements and representations that it was covered and would be paid under the policy of insurance for which he made premium payments. d. Plaintiffs allege that it is the corporate goal of State Farm Fire and Casualty Company to increase its profits by reducing, delaying or avoiding the payment of valid claims. Plaintiffs further allege that, in furtherance of these company-wide practices or policies, Defendant State Farm Fire and Casualty Company trains, sets goals, measures results and rewards employees that reduce, delay or avoid payment of claims. 11. Given the circumstances in the instant case, the Defendant acted unreasonably and in bad faith in the handling and the subsequent partial denial of Plaintiffs' claim. 12. The bad faith conduct of the Defendant has affected and damaged not only the Plaintiffs, but numerous other policyholders in Oklahoma and across the country. 13. As a direct result of the bad faith actions of Defendant, the Plaintiffs have suffered ongoing and continuing damages above and beyond the damage incurred to the Property. 14. Defendant has acted with malice and bad faith and should be punished for the benefit of society and to make an example to others to deter similar conduct. 15. Plaintiffs have been forced to hire an attorney and expend money for court costs and costs of litigation for which it should be compensated. 16. Pursuant to 12 O.S. § 2008 (A)(2) and the above facts and circumstances, the Plaintiffs are entitled to relief under Oklahoma statutory and common law. The amount demanded by the Plaintiffs are in excess of the amount required for diversity jurisdiction pursuant to Section 1332 of Title 28 of the United States Code. WHEREFORE, premises considered, Plaintiffs moves for a finding by the Court that Defendant State Farm Fire and Casualty Company breached its contractual duty to pay for the full damages caused by the hail and wind storm; fraud was committed by the Defendant; that Defendant violated their duty of good faith and fair dealing and award damages in excess of $75,000.00 for each such violation; that Plaintiffs should be awarded actual damages, an amount in excess of $75,000.00 for punitive damages, an amount in excess of $75,000.00 for breach of contract, and an amount in excess of $75,000.00 for fraud; that an award of attorney fees and costs of litigation is proper; and for such other and further relief as the Court may deem equitable under the circumstances. DATED: March 13, 2026 RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS LEGAL GROUP s/ Grayson L. Jones Grayson L. Jones, OBA # 36355 Catastrophic Claims Legal Group 201 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Ste. 700, Oklahoma City, OK 73012 T: (771) 999-3669 E: [email protected] STORM LAW PARTNERS, PLLC Derek L. Fadner 1000 Main Street, Suite 2300 Houston, TX 77002 T: (832) 323-3000 E: [email protected] [email protected] ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF