Our greatest concern is for the safety of everyone in the impacted areas. State Farm catastrophe claim response team members are responding to assist customers with damage to their homes, and local State Farm agents are available to help. Our priority is taking care of our customers' needs.

As there are more storms in the forecast, please stay tuned to your local weather services.

As of May 28, State Farm has received over 32,650 home and auto claims across the states impacted from the string of severe weather and storms in mid-May:

Claim counts from the top seven states:

• Missouri: approximately 9,300 auto and home claims
• Illinois: approximately 5,540 auto and home claims
• Wisconsin: approximately 4,885 auto and home claims
• Michigan: approximately 2,485 auto and home claims
• Kentucky: approximately 2,450 auto and home claims
• Indiana: approximately 1,840 auto and home claims
• Maryland: approximately 1,100 auto and home claims

To provide the best possible service and response to customers who have damage from the storms, the following are in place: 

• Catastrophe claims adjusters and support members are on-site in multi-state locations. Catastrophe claim teams are actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for our impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses. Catastrophe Customer Care sites are operational in the most impacted areas to support claim handling efforts for local residents.
• The 1-800-SFCLAIM line is activated and available for customers to begin the claim reporting process, should they be unable to reach their local State Farm agent.
• 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.

Our response includes State Farm agents who live and work in the same neighborhoods as our customers, and teams of claim specialists trained in disaster response traveling in to evaluate damage on site. They are joined by thousands of employees in centralized care centers across the country helping answer customers’ questions and file their claims. Additionally, our remote claim teams are able to conduct virtual inspections with impacted customers following the storm, helping customers in their time of need. 

State Farm donates

In response to tornadoes that impacted Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri, $100,000 in disaster grant funding has been approved to assist with relief efforts. These funds will provide support for critical needs including shelter, food pantry supplies and other resources to help communities recover. 

The funding is being allocated to:

• $50,000 to American Red Cross in support of emergency shelter needs
• $25,000 to Feeding America to assist with emergency food distribution in Missouri and Kentucky
• $25,000 to Convoy of Hope to assist with distribution of hygiene kits in Missouri

In addition to the teams of catastrophe claim specialists responding on the ground to evaluate damage after the storm, our Francine response includes State Farm agents who live and work in the same neighborhoods as our customers. They are joined by thousands of employees in centralized care centers across the country virtually helping answer customers’ questions and file their claims. Our remote claim teams also can conduct virtual inspections with impacted customers following the storm, helping them in their time of need.

Claim filing options for those with damage from Francine

As residents discover damage from the storm, they are encouraged to file their claim as soon as possible to begin recovery. State Farm customers can submit and manage their claim through various channels: Submitting a claim through our mobile app, calling or emailing their State Farm agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, through our website at statefarm.com/claims or text the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.  

Use of technology to reach customers in more ways

State Farm is making the most of technology to reach customers in more ways and make the process of resolving claims even faster and easier:

• Digital pay options allow for claim settlements to be direct-deposited into customers' bank accounts, getting funds to customers more quickly, whether or not banks are open.
• Customers are encouraged to use the State Farm Mobile App and online account access for many self-service options such as filing and tracking claims, uploading documents during the claims process, requesting emergency roadside service, setting up a rental car reservation and setting up digital pay. 

Our hearts go out to the families of all those who lost their lives and have been tragically affected by the severe weather affecting many states including the recent devastating tornado that impacted Little Rock, AR and other states. Our greatest concern is for the safety of everyone in the area.

As of April 4, State Farm has received approximately 22,144 total home and auto claims (home: 16,188 and auto: 5,956) from this most recent wide-spread storm, and those claim numbers can be expected to increase as residents file claims. The impacted states include Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

State Farm catastrophe claim response team members have responded to the devastation to assist customers. Claim teams are actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for our impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses. Local State Farm agents and their staff also are available to help customers with their claims as we begin the recovery. Our first priority is taking care of our customers' needs as quickly as possible.

Catastrophe Customer Care site

A Catastrophe Customer Care site has been opened at Lowe’s parking lot, located at 1100 Bowman Rd. in Little Rock, AR 72211. Homeowner and auto claim handlers will be onsite to assist agents and policyholders with questions and provide advanced payments, as warranted. Additionally, our State Farm Customer Response Unit (CRU) is on-site and visiting impacted neighborhoods and several agents are traveling around with the CRU. The CRU is handing out basic supplies such as work gloves, water and other needed items to residents.

To provide the best possible service and response to customers who have damage from the tornado, the following are in place: 

• The 1-800-SFCLAIM line is activated and available for customers to begin the claim reporting process, should they be unable to reach their local State Farm agent.
   
• 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.
   
• In addition to our on-the-ground team, we also have three Centralized Catastrophe Services (CCS) operations and our Initial Loss Reporting (ILR) teams located throughout the United States. State Farm has the advantage of a fleet of mobile claim handling facilities, innovatively designed to support our ability to provide optimal customer service even under challenging conditions.  

Making temporary repairs to damaged property:

When it is safe to do so, people with repairable/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.

Power Outages:

Many residents may face spoiled food or even appliance damage from long power outages. If you do have a loss of food or appliance damage, check your home insurance policy or small business policy to see if the loss may be covered as the typical homeowner's policy generally provides coverage for spoiled food due to a power outage, if the outage is tied to a covered peril. In the event of a power outage:

• Dispose refrigerated food that's been exposed to temperatures 40⁰ or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color or texture. When in doubt, throw it out!
   
• Discard any medication that's refrigerated if the power is out for more than a day, unless the drug's label says otherwise. If a life depends on the refrigerated medication consult a doctor or pharmacist to see if the medicine can be used until a new supply is available.
   
• If there are questions about coverage from any type of damage (home or auto), please contact your insurance agent and file a claim as soon as possible.
   
• Power outage tips.

Approximately 8,600 fire claims and 3,500 auto claims are reported. Fire catastrophes are declared in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Auto catastrophes are declared in Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, and Mississippi.

Claim teams are actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for our impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses.

Catastrophe Customer Care sites are being established in the communities of Florence and Amory, Mississippi with a site in Rolling Fork to open in the future to support claim handling efforts. Fire and auto claim handlers will be onsite to assist agents and policyholders with questions and provide advanced payments, as warranted.

To provide the best possible service and response to customers who have damage from the tornado, the following are in place: 

• Claims adjusters and all necessary State Farm support members are deploying and on-site.
   
• The 1-800-SFCLAIM line is activated and available for customers to begin the claim reporting process, should they be unable to reach their local State Farm agent.
   
• 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.

In addition to our on-the-ground team, we also have three Centralized Catastrophe Services (CCS) operations and our Initial Loss Reporting (ILR) teams located throughout the United States. State Farm has the advantage of a fleet of mobile claim handling facilities, innovatively designed to support our ability to provide optimal customer service even under challenging conditions.
 

Making temporary repairs to damaged property:

When it is safe to do so, people with repairable/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.   

It’s here that the remarkable service of State Farm shines. Bringing the largest disaster response in the industry means a coordinated effort of people, technology and resources, all working together to provide exceptional service to policyholders and support to the community.

State Farm is there

State Farm Claims specialists assist customers at Louisiana Customer Care sites

In addition to thousands of employees remotely helping thousands of customers on the phone and online, State Farm claims operations are on site, day after day, helping policyholders in impacted areas.

In support of Ida response, State Farm set up seven mobile Customer Care sites – four in Louisiana and three in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These operations bring claims teams and customers together to inspect vehicles, help with questions, and disburse payments.

Over the last two weeks, more than 1,500 customers have been given in-person help at our Louisiana Customer Care sites. So far, our overall claims operations have been able to reach more than 90% of customers who have filed a homeowner claim related to Ida, with 1 in 4 of those claims already settled.

Neighbors helping neighbors

A big part of the State Farm difference is the 19,000 State Farm agents who live and work in the same communities as our policyholders. That means that in addition to access by phone, app, and web site, State Farm customers have a State Farm agent right there in the neighborhood, ready to talk through your hopes, plans, and needs. And when disaster happens, they are neighbors ready to help.

In the wake of Ida, State Farm agents reached out to customers in impacted areas to help the recovery process.

Agent Courtney Gulledge of Harahan, La., lived up to that promise when one of her policyholders, Tassanee Nirandorn, received severe damage to his home. Courtney used draft authority, which allows agents to directly disburse payment toward the settlement of a claim. By providing an advance on claim payments, we can help customers start the process of recovery. Nirandorn was pleased with this service, saying, “On the news, all I have heard is that insurance companies are a pain to deal with, but that has not been my experience. State Farm has been exceptional during this process.”

Supporting the larger community

In addition to helping policyholders recover from the unexpected, State Farm has used its philanthropic resources to support community organizations that are helping the recovery process.

State Farm has issued $900,000 in disaster-relief grants to community organizations in Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, plus a $10,000 grant to the Midwest Food Bank in Illinois to provide support to multiple Ida-impacted areas.

Louisiana:

• $400,000 to support the local Red Cross chapter of Southeast Louisiana
• $150,000 to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans
• $100,000 to support Northshore Community Foundation
• $100,000 to support The Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma – Thibodaux

Northeast:

• $50,000 to support American Red Cross New Jersey Region
• $50,000 to support American Red Cross Greater New York Region
• $25,000 to support American Red Cross Southeastern Philadelphia Region
• $25,000 to support the Philabundance organization

“In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, we are truly proud to work alongside partners such as State Farm who have raised their hand to support thousands of families impacted by this devastating storm,” said Lindsay Mathieson, regional disaster officer of the American Red Cross of Louisiana. “It is that generous support that allows us to provide much-needed comfort and care to help the people who need it most.”

Said Natalie Jayroe, Second Harvest Food Bank President and CEO, “This major support from State Farm will be critical to our response to this latest disaster impacting South Louisiana. Our deepest thanks go out to the entire State Farm team and their customers.”

The work continues

Recovering from a disaster like Hurricane Ida will take time. State Farm claims operations will continue the work of serving impacted policyholders in the weeks and months ahead. More than 98,000 total claims have been received so far for Hurricane Ida-related damage, and every one of those claims is a life changed by this storm.

Being a good neighbor is about more than just one moment or just one act. For State Farm, it means continuing the work until every last claim has been handled and finding ways to help our communities thrive. When the unexpected happens, State Farm is there to help policyholders and communities recover.

State Farm’s response to Hurricane Ida began before the storm made landfall. Thousands of State Farm agents and employees began to mobilize and prepare to respond to our customers’ needs prior to the storm’s arrival.

The State Farm response to Ida is both local and national. It includes State Farm agents who live and work in the same neighborhoods as our customers; teams of claim specialists trained in disaster response traveling in to evaluate damage on site; thousands of employees in centralized care centers across the country helping answer customers’ questions and file their claims; remote claim teams conducting virtual inspections with impacted customers; and many other resources, all helping customers in their time of need.

Delivering on the promise

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, State Farm began claim inspections in areas safe for entry, focusing on the most severe damage first where possible.

Agents and Customer Care Center employees have responded to thousands of customer calls, helping customers understand their coverage and how the claim process works, including aspects of coverage that come into play when damage is especially severe.

When storms such as Ida cause severe damage to homes, customers may be displaced. Additional Living Expense (ALE) coverage under a Homeowners or Renters policy is triggered when a covered loss causes the residence to become uninhabitable. ALE can cover some increased costs such as housing, meals, and mileage.

Some media reports are incorrectly suggesting ALE does not apply without a mandatory evacuation having been ordered. These reports are seemingly focused on one portion of our ALE coverage for affected policyholders: Prohibited Use. We are addressing the needs of displaced customers. State Farm is paying, and will pay, thousands of Prohibited Use and ALE claims to our policyholders following Hurricane Ida

For customers who have a loss covered under ALE due to the extent of damage to their home, that loss adjustment occurs regardless of the type of evacuation order in their neighborhood. Once a State Farm customer reports a claim to us, we will evaluate their damage. The process from there depends on many factors including the extent of damage and accessibility of the property. (We’re working with local authorities for access when it’s safe.)

We are here for all of our customers and are committed to pay what we owe. State Farm’s policies in Louisiana, the Northeast and other states, are filed with and approved by state insurance regulators in each state, respectively. State Farm honors the terms of the contract with our customers. Altering the terms of the contract for one event would be unfair to all those who have experienced loss from previous disasters.

Getting a boost from technology

In addition to on-site physical inspection of claims and the service provided by local agents, State Farm is making the most of technology to reach customers in more ways and make the process of resolving claims even faster and easier.

• Virtual claim handling allows customers to conduct real-time inspections of damage with remote claim teams through their smartphone cameras.
• Use of drones and aerial imagery allow State Farm to quickly assess damage and accessibility of storm-impacted areas, and to conduct roof inspections in a way that is safe, efficient and supports social distancing.
• Digital pay options allow for claim settlements to be direct-deposited into customers’ bank accounts, getting funds to customers more quickly, whether or not banks are open.
• Customers are encouraged to use the State Farm Mobile App and online account access for many self-service options such as filing and tracking claims, uploading documents during the claim process, requesting emergency roadside service, setting up a rental car reservation, and setting up digital pay. 
   

 
Crews work to assemble the Customer Care Site in Gonzales, LA

Bringing in-person service where it’s needed most

To provide convenient local service to customers, mobile Customer Care Sites are being set up in multiple locations near the hardest-hit areas of Louisiana. These sites allow customers to receive in-person support with claim handling and disbursement of payments.

Louisiana Customer Care Sites include:

1. Gonzales: 306 Louisiana 30 W, Gonzales, LA 70737 (map)
2. Houma: 6795 West Park Ave, Houma, LA 70364 (map)
3. New Orleans: 8282 I-10 Service Rd, New Orleans, LA 70126 (map)
4. Covington: 69348 Louisiana State Hwy 21, Covington, LA 70433 (map)

Northeast Customer Care Sites include:

1. Livingston, NJ: 112 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston, NJ 07039 (map)
2. Horsham, PA: 200 Blair Mill Road, Horsham, PA 19044 (map)
3. Queens County, NY: Opening soon

To help agents in impacted areas better serve their customers, agency “command centers” are being set up to provide office space and phone/internet connection to agents who have themselves been impacted by damage from Ida.

Being good neighbors in the community

In addition to assisting our customers directly, State Farm is also helping overall recovery efforts with charitable grants to assist with immediate shelter, food, water, and clothing needs in Louisiana.

State Farm has issued eight Disaster Recovery Grants, for a total of $900,000, to help those impacted by Hurricane Ida:

Louisiana:

• $400,000 to support the local Red Cross chapter of Southeast Louisiana
• $150,000 to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans
• $100,000 to support Northshore Community Foundation
• $100,000 to support The Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma – Thibodaux

Northeast:

• $50,000 to support American Red Cross New Jersey Region
• $50,000 to support American Red Cross Greater New York Region
• $25,000 to support American Red Cross Southeastern Philadelphia Region
• $25,000 to support the Philabundance organization

Along with these disaster grants, in the days following landfall, State Farm deployed its Customer Response Unit vehicles. These vans drive through impacted neighborhoods and hand out basic essentials to residents such as water, food, work gloves, flashlights, and first-aid kits. During their deployment for Ida, the CRUs have each covered more than 1,300 miles through 18 cities and eight parishes.

The response continues

The impact of Hurricane Ida continued after it moved on from the Gulf Coast, with effects reaching all the way into the northeast U.S., including intense flooding in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

State Farm is the nation’s largest home and auto insurer, with the capacity to serve customers through multiple simultaneous disasters. Already, State Farm has received more than 72,000 claims related to the impact of Ida – more than 42,000 in Louisiana and more than 25,000 in the northeast. This is happening all while the same level of service is being provided to those suffering the effects of wildfires in the western U.S., and everywhere else severe weather is impacting State Farm customers.

The story of any major weather event is a long one. The process of recovering, rebuilding, and re-establishing a sense of “normal” can take weeks, months, or even years. State Farm is here to help our customers get through this difficult time.