State Farm’s bad faith insurance practices

According to the AAJ report, State Farm has been accused of bad faith insurance practices, such as:

• Handling Katrina claims. State Farm was notorious for its handling of homeowners’ claims related to the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Claims were routinely denied without basis and private home inspectors hired by the insurer have testified that State Farm told them to alter damage reports in order to avoid paying claims or pay less than the claims were worth.
• Denying, delaying and defending. Like Allstate, State Farm also hired the New York consulting firm McKinsey and Associates to recommend ways in which the insurer could better perform. Again, like Allstate, State Farm was instructed to deny claims, delay claim payments and defend lawsuits that should have been resolved.
• Acting recklessly. After tornadoes caused nearly $2 billion worth of damage in Oklahoma, State Farm insured homeowners brought a class action lawsuit against the insurer for routinely under valuating their properties. A jury ruled that the company acted ‘recklessly’ and ‘with malice.’

FreeAdvice.com survey: 34% of State Farm customers very unsatisfied

According to customer satisfaction ratings on FreeAdvice.com, 34% of State Farm’s customers are not satisfied with the insurer. Here’s how survey respondents rated the insurer:

Extremely Satisfied: 29%
Very Satisfied: 16%
Somewhat Satisfied: 9%
Unsatisfied: 12%
Very Unsatisfied: 34%

Customers posted the following comments about State Farm on the website:

• After 37 years of paying State Farm for homeowners insurance I filed a small claim ($6500) from a leaky pipe and they refused to pay anything. Why should I be loyal to them with that kind of service?
• My mother has had State Farm Car and Home Insurance for 65 years. Her FIRST claim, happening in 2007, has been denied. Her garage ceiling fell after a storm with high winds and torrential rains. State farm has happily collected premiums for all these years, yet refused to pay one penny for clean-up, repairs, or replacement value of damaged property. We were treated very badly. I have never been treated [in a] more un-businesslike [way] in my life. No integrity was ever shown by State Farm. I would not send a DOG to State Farm! Beware!!!! State Farm IS NOT A GOOD NEIGHBOR!
• In over 20 years with State Farm, we only had one claim. [They] would not settle [a] claim on a car accident. We were not cited for [the] accident, but [the] State Farm adjuster was rude, harassing and flat out refused to pay claim. [The adjuster] told us, ‘Don't bother suing, because you won't win.’ We will definitely cancel our policies.
• I have never seen such an incompetent department as the claims department [and am] very, very dissatisfied w/State Farm. First home claim and cannot believe how this is being handled.

If State Farm has denied your valid claim or rescinded your policy, it may have acted in bad faith. To contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of the law, please click here. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential.