2 Judges Consider State Farm Rates in Texas

The state’s consumer advocate has challenged State Farm Insurance Co.’s 20 percent rate hike for Texas homeowners as being too high.

The Dallas Morning News reports the hearing before two administrative law judges in Austin could last through Friday.

Public insurance counsel Deeia Beck on Wednesday urged the judges to roll back State Farm’s rate increase affecting 1.2 million homeowners. She says the company imposed the rate hike in December despite good profits and a drop in claims.

State Farm attorneys say an even larger rate hike could have been justified due to weather-related losses in recent years. Company lawyers say Texas regulators did not object to the proposed increase.

Beck’s office says the average Texas premium should be $1,299 annually. That’s about $280 less than the company’s estimate.