01 Oct 2013

Deer-Vehicle Collisions Declining in Illinois

By Missy Dundov
After 11 years of studying Deer/Vehicle Collisions, State Farm is noticing a decline in the number of crashes nationally.  This trend is happening in Illinois as well. According to State Farm Claim Data, the likelihood of a collision with a deer has declined 10% across the state moving Illinois from 30th to 32nd place.  That means drivers now have a 1 in 214 chance to hit a deer compared to last year's 1 in 162.  In Iowa, crashes went up slightly moving that state from 4th to 3rd place.  Collisions there are 1 in 73 compared to last year's 1 in 72.
17 Apr 2013

State Farm® Names Top Ten States With Most Hail Losses

By Missy Dundov
IBHS Indoor Hail Storm Simulates Real Damage
April 17, 2013–State Farm announces the top ten states with the most wind, hail losses. Wind and hail storms remain some of the most frequent and severe causes of property damage. This year the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety Research Center conducted the first-ever indoor hailstorm, in an effort to research building products and ways to education consumers.
Damage caused by wind and hail cost State Farm and its policyholders more than $3.9 billion in 2012. The states with the most wind/hail losses include :
  • Texas–47,000 claims
  • Illinois–41,000 claims
  • New York–34,000 claims
  • Ohio–31,000 claims
  • Missouri–25,000 claims
  • Tennessee–24,000 claims
  • Indiana–23,000 claims
  • New Jersey–23,000 claims
  • Kentucky–22,000 claims
  • Colorado–16,000 claims
While hail storms most frequently impact the Great Plains and Midwest, every state in the nation is susceptible. See how your state compares to others when it comes to wind/hail and most common insurance claims.
Heading Off Hail Damage:
  • If weather conditions are prime for hail storms, pull cars, boats, RVs, lawn and patio furniture into a covered area.
  • When building or remodeling, consider impact resistant roofing to reduce hail damage to your home. State Farm currently offers insurance premium discounts to homes with qualifying impact-resistant roofing products in 26 states and one Canadian province.
If You Experience Hail Damage:
  • Work with your insurance agent or claims adjustor to fully understand the claims process and how covered repairs will be handled. State Farm customers who have reported a loss can expect to be contacted by a claim representative who will review your policy and explain your coverage, outline the claim process, and answer questions.
  • Choose a reputable roofing contractor. Look for a licensed or bonded roofer and request references. Not all jurisdictions require licensing of roofing contractors. Ask to see certificates of insurance to be sure both liability and workers compensation insurance coverage is carried, and are in force during the time the roofing work is being done.
  • You may also contact your local Better Business Bureau or the National Roofing Contractors Association for assistance in locating a professional contractor in a specific geographic area.
  • If anyone visits your home without an appointment and professes to represent your insurer, ask for identification and contact your insurer to confirm before allowing access.
18 Dec 2012

State Farm Warns Homeowners about the 12 Fire Horrors of the Holidays

By Missy Dundov
December 18, 2012 - The holiday season is the time of year when most people are thinking about shopping for gifts, office parties, and spending time with family and friends. Sadly, this is also the time when home fires peak. Approximately one-third of home fires and home fire deaths occur during December, January and February.
State Farm® reminds consumers that the potential for a home fire is highest during the winter months. A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that nearly 50 percent of Americans age 23 and over increased their chances of a home fire because of decorating for the holidays:
  • 34 percent connect multiple extension cords together
  • 16 percent put up holiday lights without inspecting them for frayed cords
  • 9 percent let their tree dry out after it is decorated in the home
  • 9 percent have lit a fire without an annual chimney inspection
  • 5 percent have left a burning candle unattended
To help keep your family and loved ones safer during the holiday and winter season, learn how to avoid the 12 fire horrors of the holidays.
  1. Cooking Calamities: While November is the top month for grease and cooking-related fires, December is a close second. Unattended cooking remains one of the top causes of home fires. There are a lot of distractions and all it takes is a brief moment for a cooking fire to get out of control. Keep an all-purpose or Class ABC rated fire extinguisher nearby to get a kitchen fire under control.
  2. Space heaters: Home heating equipment is second to cooking fires for causing home structure fires. More than half of home heating fires occur during December, January and February. Avoid setting up a space heater too close to curtains, furniture, or holiday decorations. Remember to keep at least three feet of clear space around it and set it up on the floor unless it is designed for other use.
  3. Children Playing with Fire: The number of fires and deaths caused by children playing with fire goes up significantly during the holidays. Never leave children unsupervised with ignition materials such as matches or lighters.
  4. Burn Wood in the Fireplace: Do not burn trash, cardboard boxes or Christmas trees in the fireplace. These items burn unevenly and may cause a dangerous flash fire.
  5. Caution with Candles: Christmas Day is the peak day of the year for candle fires. Make sure candles are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning.
  6. Holiday Lights: Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots or broken sockets before putting them up. Remember to turn off holiday lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
  7. Counterfeit Electronics: Christmas lights are the perfect product for counterfeiting - high volume and low manufacturing cost. Look for CSA or UL certification marks that indicate the product was tested and met the product safety standards.
  8. Electrical Outlets: Don't overload your electrical outlets with too many lights or decorations.
  9. Electrical Cords: To reduce the chance of overheating, electric cords should never be bundled together or run under rugs or carpet.
  10. Christmas Trees: Take fire safety precautions when keeping a live tree in the house. Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches. Regularly give the tree plenty of water.
  11. Dirty Chimney: Most chimney fires are caused by the buildup of creosote, a highly combustible by-product of burning wood. To protect your chimney from creosote buildup, have it inspected and cleaned annually.
  12. Dirty Fireplace: When cleaning your fireplace, put embers in a metal container and set them outside to cool for 24 hours before disposal.
About State Farm
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit  http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada  http://www.statefarm.ca.
06 Feb 2012

STATE FARM® HIRING Top Employer Seeks Qualified Candidates

By Missy Dundov
Bloomington, IL (February 3, 2012)--State Farm reports nearly 3,000 openings across the United States and Canada.
State Farm's commitment to creating innovative solutions to serve customers and policyholders is generating employment opportunities.
"As we continue to define our workforce to best meet our customers' evolving needs, we are seeking skills and talents from numerous diverse labor markets," said State Farm Vice President Human Resources, Mary Schmidt.
Named a top employer, State Farm is a family of insurance and financial services companies that together serve tens of millions of customers. Our business lines offer more than 100 products.
State Farm has offices in all 50 states and three Canadian provinces. Current openings exist in:
  • Claims
  • Customer Service
  • IT/Systems
  • Underwriting

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