State Farm responds to widespread winter catastrophe

Our hearts go out to the millions of people who have been affected by this winter catastrophe across most of the states in the country. Our priority is taking care of our customers' needs to help them recover as quickly as possible. 

As of February 9, 2026, we have received over 20,000 home and auto claims and we're anticipating more in the coming days. The states with the highest number of claims so far are Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Texas. The main causes of loss have been snow and ice (including their weight on trees and structures), water, wind, and frozen pipes. 

Catastrophe claim teams are deploying and arriving on-site. They will be actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses. Catastrophe Customer Care sites are up and running in some of the most impacted communities to personally help people with their claims.

How to file a claim

State Farm policyholders who have damage can submit and manage their claim through various channels. This includes calling or emailing their State Farm agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, submitting a claim through our mobile app or through our website at statefarm.com/claims. Customers may also text the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.
 

Making temporary repairs to damaged property

When it is safe to do so, people with repairable or limited property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage to their property. Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs. 
 

Tips to help protect customers from fraud and scams

Unfortunately, sometimes dishonest contractors attempt to take advantage of homeowners as they seek to rebuild or repair their homes. The following tips will help protect you from fraud or scams: 

• If you have property damage to your home, contact State Farm as soon as possible to report your claim.
• Make temporary repairs as timely as possible to prevent further damage, but do not make repairs that go beyond temporary mitigation until the damages can be assessed by State Farm. Preserve any items or materials moved or taken from your home until you speak with your claim handler.
• Be careful not to sign any documents with a contractor or builder before fully reading and understanding them.
• Deal with reputable local contractors whenever possible. Take time to verify references and licenses and get multiple quotes.
• Insist on a written estimate and work contract with a breakdown of costs, payment due dates, and contact information. Do not agree to pay for repairs in full before the work has been completed to your satisfaction.
• Be on the lookout for red flags such as asking for full payment before starting the work, lack of communication with you, or frequent unexpected expenses.
• When considering short- or long-term living accommodations or lodging while making repairs or rebuilding, verify the identity of the landlord (for example, meet the landlord in person), read reviews by other people, and don’t pay a deposit until you have seen the property in person. 
   

For more information, see Help Protect Yourself From Contractor Fraud and Common Rental Scams and Landlord Frauds.