State Farm Processing Over 200,000 Katrina Claims

State Farm, the largest insurer of homes and cars in the Gulf States, is servicing more than 223,000 property claims in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The number is expected to rise as the company’s catastrophe claims adjusters, local claims staff and agents continue to meet and talk with policyholders.

Nearly 2,600 dedicated catastrophe claims adjusters are joining the more than 3,000 State Farm employees, agents and agents’ staff who live and work in the Gulf States, and who are already assisting customers recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

In order to reach policyholders who have evacuated the stricken areas, State Farm is proceeding with its claim operation by using its agency and claims network, locations and technological resources.

State Farm representatives are in the impacted neighborhoods and evacuee shelters seeking customers who need to report their losses. Policyholders can begin the claims process by contacting their agent, or any State Farm agent, or by the company’s Web page or toll-free claims number, 1-800-SF-CLAIM (732-5246).

Supporting this process are 29 dedicated catastrophe offices in the storm-impacted region. These include mobile facilities in Louisiana and Mississippi that have satellite connectivity and office space. These facilities will provide a presence and point of contact for those remaining in the affected areas as well as provide support for State Farm claim adjusters as they visit claim sites.

The company also is working with its 17,000 agents across the U.S. and Canada to assist in the claims process. Agents across the country are helping agents in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida by visiting evacuee locations to assist policyholders from those impacted states who have been relocated. This is especially true in areas like Texas where large numbers of hurricane victims have been evacuated.

On August 31, State Farm voluntarily suspended policy billing and cancellation notices to customers in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.

State Farm, based in Bloomington, Ill., insures more cars than any other insurer in North America and is the leading U.S. home insurer. State Farm’s 17,000 agents and 69,000 employees serve nearly 73 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada.